Page 47 - SDG Report

ETHEKWINI’S INITIATIVES AND PARTNERSHIPS
eThekwini Municipality has a significant population living in densely populated informal settlements. With the call for social distancing and improved washing and coughing hygiene, many of the residents in the informal settlements are vulnerable to acquiring the virus. To meet the national service standards the Municipality would need to ensure the provision of adequate water supply and proper sanitation measures:-
• an awareness-building campaign in informal settlements to raise awareness around the disease
• delivered soaps and sanitizers to vulnerable residents in the informal settlements, CRUs, rental housing and transit facilities. the Municipality aimed to provide more than 190 000 soaps and over 3 100 liters of sanitizers
• The City has also ramped up its provision of water provision by installing more than 34 water dispensers, 223 static water tanks and provided more than 130 chemical toilets.
• The current response to ensuring food security to vulnerable communities has primarily been targeted at the homeless population in the city center through the active engagement and involvement of the NGO community.
The transport authority intervened to facilitate the operations of the minibus taxi operators in the city during the lockdown. The program included the education of drivers and passengers and provision of sanitizers and disinfectant to taxi operators.
The transport authority also facilitated the high-pressure cleaning and sanitizing of public transport facilities to arrest the spread of the virus and improve the environmental health conditions.
The COVID19 lockdown has created disastrous consequences for the South African economy. In eThekwini it is estimated that 327 000 people lost their income or employment as a result of the COVID19 lockdown with unemployment rising to 42%. In addition, over R10bn of FDI has been lost and another R9bn is at risk of being lost. This is accompanied by a sharp and deep contraction in eThekwini’s GDP in Q2 of 2020.
The Economic Recovery Plan, which is being driven by the mayor is focused on the following pillars:-
• Monitoring the city income and health of the economy,
• Facilitating the city’s share of national government support,
• Supporting tourism and industrialization,
• Supporting the rural, township and informal economy,
• Creating an extra-ordinary environment for construction and Infrastructure and investment
• Operationalizing the Socio-Economic Fund
• Accelerating radical socio-economic transformation
• Building social coalitions and partnerships.
Working with NGOs, the city has been able to house homeless people in 11 shelters and temporary sites around eThekwini where they are provided with meals, access to water and sanitation facilities, blankets and other essentials. The faith-based community organizations have been invaluable in all these endeavors. The Municipality and its social partners are ensuring that their lives are improved through drug withdrawal programmes and others are being reunited with their families.
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS GOOD PRACTICE 45