www.salga.org.za 1 small town regeneration: an approach to unlock rural economies charles parkerson...

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Small Town Regeneration: An approach to unlock rural

economiesCharles Parkerson

Director: Economic Development

SALGA

22 July 2015

www.salga.org.za

Background

• Small towns face challenges: former homelands: depopulating; transit/commuter towns: not accommodating growth; mining/industrial towns: knowledge economy & tech; coastal or tourism towns: global

• Their role in the urban hierarchy: link between rural and urban economies, primary and secondary sectors, mining, agriculture and agri-processing,

• Definition: population - small urban centres

• STR offers a ‘middle-way’; no rural and urban divide

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Why Small Towns?

• Where people live: almost 50% of national population, more than two-thirds in some provinces

• People: potential and opportunity • Place: social and economic role in rural areas, natural

assets • Institution: local governments, organised business and

civil society organisations

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What is the current STR landscape?

• There are a number of national and provincial government efforts towards STR and rural development

• However there is no single framework/ model towards effective STR

• Existing models are not comprehensive. They are varied between economic sector stimulation and spatial/infrastructure improvement

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Where is the support focus?

Implementation sites• KZN: 31 small towns in 10 district municipalities,

supported by KZN-Cogta (>R230 mil)

• EC: 7 municipalities participating, supported by the EC LGHTA (R2.4mil, previous NDPG support R275mil)

• Limpopo: 1 mining town in Sekhukhune (R1.4mil)

• EDD inception of support to township regeneration

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Where is the support focus?

24 Presidential nodes in 7 provinces (Excl GP & WC), 24 Districts ( some districts already captured by other depts.)

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Existing DRDLR model: a shift from service delivery to economic transformation

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SALGA View: A complement (Model adaptation)

Basic Services & space

transformation

Economic transformation

Enhancing civic pride & awareness

Focusing on Locality specific sectors/markets instead of pre-defined blanket sectors

Organise efforts for optimised initiation of interventions

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What is the SALGA niche?

• Facilitating a consolidated framework and working model for small towns/rural nodes/township regeneration

• People: social consensus, existing skills and re-skilling• Place: local, regional, hinterland, space transformation• Institution:

– Providing capacity support to municipalities (vision orientation vs following funding) for sustainable impact

– service delivery optimisation and revenue enhancement

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SALGA STR efforts in place

• Engaging national & provincial role players on the need for a consolidated small town-township framework

• STR training support to KZN, EC & NW provinces

( Support will be scaled up to more provinces on demand basis to promote vision orientation)• Engagements with chambers to facilitate definition of private

sector role and leveraging support

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What makes for success in STR ?

• Uniqueness of place: each small town is unique• Visioning process: build the vision of the town • Facilitation style: participatory approach, community

meetings (the facilitator taking a backseat). A successful small town regeneration programme is based on social dialogue

• Identification of issues: self-identification of opportunities and problems

• Solution phase: consider viable solutions (feasibilities)• Information distribution: at every stage in the

community language and media platforms

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What makes for success…

• Credibility: a history of talk leading to non-action will create a culture of cynicism. While facilitation, simultaneously negotiate implementation commitments and dates

• Acknowledge: publically celebrated by both the community, municipality and funders to ensure recognition of growth and progress

• This is purely a municipal program (sector departments become supporters or funders, mostly at the municipal request)

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Who should drive STR ?

• District Municipalities: regional approach to development (assists to identify investment nodes in the region); or Regional Development Agencies (>20 existing RDAs)

• Provincial government: policy direction & overall coordination (KZN, EC, WC: started)

• National departments/entities: support & funding (DRLR, Cogta, IDC, DPW)

• Local municipalities : implementation and maintenance

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SALGA’s support

• 3-day practical training available, built from a Small Town model (with SPLUMA applications)

• Support facilitation/ participatory process/ regeneration strategies/ funding facilitation/ implementation

• Link municipalities with expertise and (experienced) service providers

• Same program principles applicable to townships

• Conferences: platform for showcasing implementation in towns and townships

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UPCOMING EVENTS:SALGA STR CONFERENCE

• BACKGROUND

• Inaugural bi-annual SALGA STR conference

• PURPOSE

• Elevating ‘’Small Town’’ to the national spatial and economic transformation agenda

• Institutionalize Small Towns Development as a focal point in Local Government

• Promoting Research and Knowledge Generation

• Mainstreaming Knowledge and Practice

• Develop a platform for exchange among STR practitioners and stakeholders

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DETAILS

• DATE:

– 22-23 October 2015

• LOCATION AND VENUE:

– Free-State - Mangaung

• THEME

– SMALL TOWNS, NEW FUTURES!

• SIZE

– 400 Participants

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Key stakeholders and Delegates

• Mayors and Political Portfolio Heads and Senior Officials for planning/economic development from:

• Mining towns, tourism towns, commuter towns, homeland or agri/rural towns

• NATIONAL AND PROVINCIAL DEPARTMENTS (in key provinces):

– COGTA, RDLR, TOURISM

– DTI, DSBD

– DME, DAFF

– NT, DBSA, IDC

– SEFA, SEDA

– ORGANISED BUSINESS (CHAMBERS, BUSA)

– BIG BUSINESS IN SELECTED INDUSTRIES/SECTORS

• Mining, agriculture,transport/logistics, retail

– SECTOR AGENCIES AND BODIES17

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THANK YOU

Questions and Comments

cparkerson@salga.org.za 012 369 8000