Durban's Local Agenda 21 programme: tackling sustainable development in a post-apartheid city

Abstract

Durban’s Local Agenda 21 programme has been at the forefront of the Local Agenda 21 movement in Southern Africa since the mid-1990s. This paper describes the first four phases of the programme, 1994-2001. The paper also outlines the difficulties faced in localizing the sustainable development concept in Durban. Key amongst these challenges was the initiation and development of the programme during a period of local government transformation and restructuring. The perception that Local Agenda 21 has a “green” focus and is “anti-development” (due to its location within an environmental department) has also resulted in a lack of proactive and sustained political support. These problems have been exacerbated by limited human and financial resources, which have restricted the programme’s capacity to build support and consensus amongst stakeholders. Durban’s Local Agenda 21 programme has, however, helped keep sustainable development on the city’s agenda and has provided a mechanism through which local stakeholders can interact with local government around environmental management issues. The paper concludes with a section on the lessons learned and factors required to ensure future progress.

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