Thesis (MPAM.) -- University of Limpopo, 2021 / The purpose of the study was to assess the impact of Local Economic Development
(LED) in South African municipalities. LED is meant to address socio-economic
injustices inherited from the apartheid regime and provide economic emancipation for
all in South Africa. It has been two decades since the inception of LED in South Africa;
however, the objectives of LED are seemingly declining. The country is currently
experiencing weak economic growth with high unemployment and poverty rates in its
communities. The study investigated the nature and role of LED unit as well as
strategies in place for implementing LED in local economies. It also investigated the
challenges that LED official encounters in the implementation process of LED. The
opportunities of the local economy have been identified in order to provide a platform
for local economic policy reforms that can be used to recover economic bottlenecks.
The study is empirical and used Polokwane Local Municipality as its study area. Both
qualitative and quantitative research methodologies were employed in the study in
which interviews and questionnaires were used to collect primary data. The target
population of the study included LED officials in Polokwane Local Municipality and
individuals who benefit from LED strategies. The population was sampled randomly
and purposefully based on the participants' contextual experience on the objectives of
the study. The study found that LED unit in Polokwane Local Municipality is not
effective in its implementation of LED. There are LED initiatives in place; however,
such initiatives are not entirely effective. The study argues that the role and strategies
of LED unit are sound on the paper; however, it lacks maximum impact. The study
therefore, provided a number of recommendation that could enhance the effectiveness
of LED. The following are some of the recommendation: the LED unit should establish
LED awareness that will educate and inform community members of LED; the LED
unit needs to have adequate measures to regulate informal trading that is inclusive of
foreign traders; LED unit formulates LED policies and strategies in line with
opportunities of LED in the municipality; sufficient skills development programmes in
the LED unit; the LED unit must provide adequate infrastructure that is suitable for
economic growth and should undertake available economic opportunities in each
community.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:ul/oai:ulspace.ul.ac.za:10386/3663 |
| Date | January 2021 |
| Creators | Mashabela, Chungu Mamahlodi |
| Contributors | Sebola, M. P. |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | xv, 134 leaves |
| Relation |
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