Thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Technology: Public Management, Durban University of Technology, 2011. / Disasters have inflicted a heavy cost on human, materials and physical resources, and degradation to the environment. Furthermore, disasters have negative physical impacts (which include casualities and property damage) and social impacts (which include psych-osocial, socio-demographic, socioeconomic, and socio-political). A comprehensive review of the literature has revealed that the development of disaster management strategies must be undertaken before the event strikes. Moreover, disaster management requires effective community-based strategies which will include programmes and measures to prevent, prepare, mitigate and recover from the impacts of disasters. The purpose of the study is to contribute to the formulation of a robust disaster management framework and plan including the creation of a fully equipped disaster management centre within the eThekwini Municipality. Moreover, to enable the disaster management department within the eThekwini Municipality to function effectively and efficiently by applying new systematic strategies in disaster risk reduction. Futhermore, to add value to the body of knowledge in South Africa as there are limited number of research on disaster management, and to add value to policy, protmote investment and protect vulnerable communities by implementing disaster prevention, preparedness and mitigation. The research was undertaken at Foreman and Kennedy Road informal settlements located in Clare Estate within Ward 25. A disaster management survey was self-administered to the population size of 220 respondents from which 140 respondents completed the questionnaires thereby generating a response rate of 63.6%. Interveiws were also conducted amongst eThekwini Municipality officials dealing mainly with disaster reduction. The dimensions of the study are disaster preparedness, prevention, response, recovery and rehabilitation, financial implications and future expectations. The data was analysed using Statistical Packages for Social Scientists (SPSS). Associations between variables were determined using Pearson chi-square. This study presents the research findings on disaster management by using frequency iv tables, graphs and cross-tabulations tables which have been compiled for each question. Analysis of the data revealed significant differences between the biographical variables (age, gender, marital status, education, occupation, income, number of children, number of dependants, race and tenure) and the five dimensions (disaster preparedness, mitigation, response, recovery and rehabilitation, financial implications and future expectations) respectively. Interpretation of results indicated that there exists significant relationships amongst the key variables of the study relating to disaster management. This study contributes to various academic disciplines, local government and society at large as it suggests strategies and recommendations that may be implemented to overcome disaster management challenges and attain disaster risk reduction. The study recommends that eThekwini Municipality should comply with the Disaster Management Act 57 of 2002 which requires the establishment of a disaster management centre, disaster management framework and the plan. Furthermore, the study recommended that the council should develop a system to classify hazard mitigation strategies in terms of five categories which are hazard source control, community protection works, land-use practices, building construction practices and building contents protection. The study recommends that the eThekwini Municipality should recognise recovery period mitigation and incorporate this objective into recovery planning. On the financial implications aspect, the study recommends that eThekwini Municipality should provide financial assistance on the disaster management prevention and preparedness strategies.

Dissertation submitted in full compliance with the requirements for the Master’s Degree in Technology: Business Administration, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2012 / The dissertation focuses on the implementation of strategies and programmes that are aimed at boosting local economic development at Sobonakhona Makhanya Traditional Area by the EThekwini Municipality. Sobonakhona Makhanya Traditional Area is one of the three main traditional/rural areas making up the Greater Umbumbulu Area, which is situated some 20 kilometres south-west of the Durban Central District. Each of these traditional/rural areas is ruled by its own Traditional Leader. The Sobonakhona Area is made up of areas that can be described as deep rural and peri-urban. For the purpose of this study a municipality and a local government are treated as the same entity. The implementation of these strategies in the deep rural Sobonakhona Area has, however, so far proven to be more challenging than it was initially conceived. This can be partly attributed to the following factors, firstly; before 1994, all matters related to rural economic development initiatives in South Africa fell under the jurisdiction of either the provincial governments or national line ministries or homeland governments – not municipalities. Secondly, between 1994 and 2002, all strategies/programmes that were aimed at boosting economic development were, through the national government’s previous SMME strategy, carried out at national level by the Department of Trade and Industry and its affiliated agencies. Thirdly, the 2000 demarcation of municipal boundaries saw a number of rural areas being incorporated under some municipalities that had jurisdiction over urban areas only, and this created an additional service delivery challenge for these municipalities. Whilst these municipalities were still baffled by how to accommodate/incorporate the rural areas under their programmes, the national government, in 2002, introduced a new SMME strategy (replacing the previous SMME strategy) that required municipalities to effect economic development at local government level. This also presented its own challenge as very few of these municipalities had experience and/or knowledge in the formulation and implementation of local economic development programmes/strategies. This dissertation therefore seeks to uncover the challenges that the EThekwini Municipality faces as it attempts to implement its economic development strategies and programmes for its rural areas in particular, with Sobonakhona Area being the area of focus. The EThekwini Municipality is one of those municipalities that previously had no rural areas under its control. Chapter One of the dissertation introduces the topic of the study together with the relevant background to the study. Chapter Two discusses the research methodology used in an attempt to unravel the study’s research problem. Chapter Three discusses literature review on implementation of strategies and programmes aimed at boosting economic development in rural areas. Chapter Four outlines both the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government and the EThekwini Municipality’s strategies and programmes that are thought would promote economic development in the province and in the EThekwini region respectively. Results uncovered by this study are discussed in Chapter Five. Chapter Six concludes the study by presenting recommendations on how to improve implementation efforts. / M