220
3 eThekwini’s Green and Ecological Infrastructure Policy Landscape
own life-world or lived experience. However, the common denominator here is the
positivist fit between the borrowed conceptualisation and the borrower.
The hydrosocial contract theory and liberal institutionalism dominate. What is
noticeable about the hydrosocial contract theory is that the municipality and its
epistemic partners utilise green and ecological infrastructures, together with grey
infrastructures. Even so, the overall objective of this integration is to secure sustainable quantities of water for eThekwini, the economic hub of KwaZulu-Natal, with
the port of Durban and its surrounding industrial areas, as well as tourism (p. 1),
driving the city’s economy.
Throughout the theory analysis, we see that liberal institutionalism incorporates
assumptions from interactive governance and RIPE theories.
Considering social constructivism, the respondents widely share the concept of
‘nature’ to engage with the notions about green and ecological infrastructures. Since
the respondents share these terms, my argument is that, along with agential constructivism (p. 145), systemic constructivism also characterises the policy landscape. The
systemic description thereof lies within the empirically shared concepts, where nature
and natural resources, such as alien invasive vegetation, estuaries, rivers, streams and
wetlands, are central in defining the system of green and ecological infrastructure
policies and initiatives. Therefore, the natural environment acts to inform and constitute policies and, most importantly, the various practices initiated by the network
of stakeholders involved. This means that the natural environment constitutes an
empirical ontology, which informs a positivist epistemology of, and for, the actors.
In simple terms, nature, warts and all, represents a reality that is, for all involved,
and as such, it leaves little room for interpretation, along with what it ought to be.
For the respondents, nature is a wellspring of ecosystem services, as well as risks
that can be measured empirically, so that humans can capitalise on its services and
discover solutions for solving emerging problems.
The assumptions of a risk society are explained in the analysis by mentioning the
various risks that are faced by the environment, and by default, eThekwini. Shortterm temporal risks appear in the form of extreme weather events, such as the storms
that Durban experienced in 2017 and 2019 (p. 2). A list of the longer term risks
is not as explicit as that for the storms, but they range from alien invasive plants
(Fig. 3.29), to deteriorating water quality and rodents, to venomous snakes. These
risks are a consequence of modernity, within the context of an urban environment,
and furthermore, they inform the practices of the various actors for their mitigation
or solutions. We should read these hazards in terms of systemic constructivism and
as being environmental risks that constitute the perceptions and norms held by the
numerous stakeholders.
In the analysis, the environment appears as a material causal mechanism, with most
respondents mentioning that it constitutes nature as a system for context-informing
practices. The respondents described the issues through a predominantly problemsolving epistemology, with the programme theory type being revealed through
the various green and ecological infrastructure projects. Linked to the manifestation of the programme theory, is the existence of a limited epistocracy, which has
various links to other local and international epistemic actors and structures. What
3 eThekwini’s Green and Ecological Infrastructure Policy Landscape
own life-world or lived experience. However, the common denominator here is the
positivist fit between the borrowed conceptualisation and the borrower.
The hydrosocial contract theory and liberal institutionalism dominate. What is
noticeable about the hydrosocial contract theory is that the municipality and its
epistemic partners utilise green and ecological infrastructures, together with grey
infrastructures. Even so, the overall objective of this integration is to secure sustainable quantities of water for eThekwini, the economic hub of KwaZulu-Natal, with
the port of Durban and its surrounding industrial areas, as well as tourism (p. 1),
driving the city’s economy.
Throughout the theory analysis, we see that liberal institutionalism incorporates
assumptions from interactive governance and RIPE theories.
Considering social constructivism, the respondents widely share the concept of
‘nature’ to engage with the notions about green and ecological infrastructures. Since
the respondents share these terms, my argument is that, along with agential constructivism (p. 145), systemic constructivism also characterises the policy landscape. The
systemic description thereof lies within the empirically shared concepts, where nature
and natural resources, such as alien invasive vegetation, estuaries, rivers, streams and
wetlands, are central in defining the system of green and ecological infrastructure
policies and initiatives. Therefore, the natural environment acts to inform and constitute policies and, most importantly, the various practices initiated by the network
of stakeholders involved. This means that the natural environment constitutes an
empirical ontology, which informs a positivist epistemology of, and for, the actors.
In simple terms, nature, warts and all, represents a reality that is, for all involved,
and as such, it leaves little room for interpretation, along with what it ought to be.
For the respondents, nature is a wellspring of ecosystem services, as well as risks
that can be measured empirically, so that humans can capitalise on its services and
discover solutions for solving emerging problems.
The assumptions of a risk society are explained in the analysis by mentioning the
various risks that are faced by the environment, and by default, eThekwini. Shortterm temporal risks appear in the form of extreme weather events, such as the storms
that Durban experienced in 2017 and 2019 (p. 2). A list of the longer term risks
is not as explicit as that for the storms, but they range from alien invasive plants
(Fig. 3.29), to deteriorating water quality and rodents, to venomous snakes. These
risks are a consequence of modernity, within the context of an urban environment,
and furthermore, they inform the practices of the various actors for their mitigation
or solutions. We should read these hazards in terms of systemic constructivism and
as being environmental risks that constitute the perceptions and norms held by the
numerous stakeholders.
In the analysis, the environment appears as a material causal mechanism, with most
respondents mentioning that it constitutes nature as a system for context-informing
practices. The respondents described the issues through a predominantly problemsolving epistemology, with the programme theory type being revealed through
the various green and ecological infrastructure projects. Linked to the manifestation of the programme theory, is the existence of a limited epistocracy, which has
various links to other local and international epistemic actors and structures. What