Page 32 - SDG Report

OVERALL, THE PROJECT AIMS AT:
The project focuses on Palmiet catchment within eThekwini Municipality, with the hope that lessons learned from this project can be applied to other catchments.
Through the project’s stakeholder participation process, a prioritised list of actions encompassed in a Project Action Plan was developed, and multiple stakeholders committed themselves to the implementation of these actions. The actions respond to specific challenges identified by the community in three broad themes: governance, social and biophysical approaches. As one of the actors in charge of implementation, the community of the Quarry Road informal settlement can actively contribute to the project while improving their living conditions. For example, looking at the social approach, an action focuses on diminishing flood and fire risks in the informal settlement, among other hazards, by using social media to distribute early warning messages, as well as the phased electrification at the parts of the settlement that are planned as permanent. On the governance side, an integrated approach to catchment management through the development of a governance model for the Palmiet catchment has been achieved through the creation of a Community of Innovation. Another governance action was to address inappropriate development, land use and illegal activities through changing the land use of some open space areas. Among the actions under the biodiversity approach are the commitment of Durban Solid Waste (DSW) to collect waste in the informal settlement with the collaboration of four community representatives who work closely with DSW in the distribution of refuse bags. Another biodiversity-related action is the issuing of licenses to monitor industries’ pollution by eThekwini Water & Sanitation (EWS) and the monitoring and reporting of industrial pollution by the Palmiet River Watch Conservancy. Although there is no monitoring system in place yet, the Project Action Plan developed by stakeholders is specific enough to be monitored by the Community of Innovators.
A future objective of the municipality is to use the lessons learnt in this project in other similar studies, especially in the informal settlements located in the municipality, and also as a guideline when integrating informal settlements into city planning. In addition, there are other research initiatives and projects which will be linked with the Palmiet Catchment Rehabilitation Project (PCRP) to sustain the project after the three-year term of the project has elapsed. For example, this catchment has been identified as one of the study areas for a Global Environmental Facility Biodiversity and Water Security Project.
Once the relationship between the collaborators was established, the process started with the development of the project concept note including all stakeholders. This arrangement further encouraged community engagement and also raised awareness about different communities’ experiences with the conditions of the catchment. A formal committee consisting of community was used as a vehicle to raise awareness and bring the project closer to the informal settlement residents. This collaboration brought existing catchment ‘Champions’, like the Palmiet River Watch Conservancy (NGO) and the eThekwini municipal departments
of Solid Waste, Disaster Management and Water and Sanitation into a shared governance framework to collect data on pollution events in the river and monitor water quality, prioritise actions and help avoid duplication of efforts, and provide expert advice on issues related to their functions
Researchers from the UKZN School of Built Environment and Development Studies were working on a community research project and had established a close working relationship with the Quarry Road informal settlement leadership. The university’s role enabled the project to bring together the municipality and the community. Having a community of Innovators which meet quarterly provided a platform for stakeholders to engage and develop a project action plan which covered all important challenges and problems as identified by the stakeholders.
The Palmiet project has been selected to be part of the Aqueduct project under the Infratruscture Investment Programme of South Africa (IIPSA), this has provided funding of R5 000 000 to implement some of the action items from the project action plan.
“A future objective of the
municipality is to use the lessons
learnt in this project in other
similar studies, especially in the
informal settlements located
in the municipality, and also as
a guideline when integrating
informal settlements into city
planning.”
30 SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS GOOD PRACTICE