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3 eThekwini’s Green and Ecological Infrastructure Policy Landscape
to the province, Durban attracted some 59%, followed by 13, 11and 10% for the
North Coast, Pietermaritzburg and the Elephant Coast, respectively. On average,
foreign visitors spent R737.00 per day, which resulted in a total market value of
R4.7 billion. In the same year, domestic visitors made about 4.98 million trips to the
province, of which 39% were to Durban, compared to 19 and 11% to Zululand and
Pietermaritzburg/the Natal Midlands, respectively. On average, these visitors spent
R1 108.00 per trip, which resulted in a total direct value of R5.5 billion (TKZN
2016).
From a socio-economic development perspective, 90% of the eThekwini population has access to a municipal source of water and, by default, good quality potable
water (StatsSA 2016; Meissner et al. 2018a, 2019). According to statistics from
the 2011 Census, eThekwini has a young population, with 66% of its people being
below 35 years (StatsSA 2016; Meissner et al. 2019). The municipality’s population consists mainly of persons from the African community (73.8%), followed by
Indians (16.7%), Whites (8%) and Coloured (2%) (Roberts and O’Donoghue 2013).
According to Roberts and O’Donoghue (2013: 301), ‘these percentages are important, as challenges such as poverty and unemployment are associated predominantly
with the African group’. A General Household Survey found that eThekwini was
one of the metros in the country with the lowest percentage of households that had
improved access to sanitation facilities (83.5%) (StatsSA 2016; Meissner et al. 2019).
This is revealing, since Durban is South Africa’s poorest metropolitan area, with 64%
of its households earning less than US$440 in 2010–2011 (Roberts and O’Donoghue
2013).
From a green and ecological infrastructure perspective, it is not only important to
describe the municipality by using demographic and socio-economic data and political party representation statistics, but also from a natural environment stance, since
nature is the fountainhead of both green and ecological infrastructures. The municipality has a sub-tropical climate that is characterised by extreme humidity in summer.
Winter temperatures, which are seldom below 10 °C (C), are warm compared to other
parts of the country, particularly the Western Cape, which experiences intermittent
snowfalls during winter, and South Africa’s Highveld region, which is characterised
by dry and cool-to-cold winters. eThekwini’s summer temperatures can be in the
low- to mid-thirties, while the humidity ranges between 55 and 75% (Dray et al.
2006; Meissner et al. 2019). In terms of precipitation, Durban usually receives more
than 1000 mm per annum, mainly during the summer (eThekwini Municipality 2007;
Meissner et al. 2019).
eThekwini has a diverse topography, which ranges from steep escarpments in the
west of the city, to a relatively flat coastal plain in the east, where the Indian Ocean
forms 98 km of its boundary. eThekwini contains 17 river catchments that flow into
the sea via 16 estuaries and in-shore marine environments. The area in which the
municipality is located supports a wide variety of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.
The water that flows from the 17 catchments, such as the Isipingo, oHlanga, Palmiet,
Umhlangane, Umhlatazana, Umlazi, uMngeni and Umkomazi Rivers, influences
3 eThekwini’s Green and Ecological Infrastructure Policy Landscape
to the province, Durban attracted some 59%, followed by 13, 11and 10% for the
North Coast, Pietermaritzburg and the Elephant Coast, respectively. On average,
foreign visitors spent R737.00 per day, which resulted in a total market value of
R4.7 billion. In the same year, domestic visitors made about 4.98 million trips to the
province, of which 39% were to Durban, compared to 19 and 11% to Zululand and
Pietermaritzburg/the Natal Midlands, respectively. On average, these visitors spent
R1 108.00 per trip, which resulted in a total direct value of R5.5 billion (TKZN
2016).
From a socio-economic development perspective, 90% of the eThekwini population has access to a municipal source of water and, by default, good quality potable
water (StatsSA 2016; Meissner et al. 2018a, 2019). According to statistics from
the 2011 Census, eThekwini has a young population, with 66% of its people being
below 35 years (StatsSA 2016; Meissner et al. 2019). The municipality’s population consists mainly of persons from the African community (73.8%), followed by
Indians (16.7%), Whites (8%) and Coloured (2%) (Roberts and O’Donoghue 2013).
According to Roberts and O’Donoghue (2013: 301), ‘these percentages are important, as challenges such as poverty and unemployment are associated predominantly
with the African group’. A General Household Survey found that eThekwini was
one of the metros in the country with the lowest percentage of households that had
improved access to sanitation facilities (83.5%) (StatsSA 2016; Meissner et al. 2019).
This is revealing, since Durban is South Africa’s poorest metropolitan area, with 64%
of its households earning less than US$440 in 2010–2011 (Roberts and O’Donoghue
2013).
From a green and ecological infrastructure perspective, it is not only important to
describe the municipality by using demographic and socio-economic data and political party representation statistics, but also from a natural environment stance, since
nature is the fountainhead of both green and ecological infrastructures. The municipality has a sub-tropical climate that is characterised by extreme humidity in summer.
Winter temperatures, which are seldom below 10 °C (C), are warm compared to other
parts of the country, particularly the Western Cape, which experiences intermittent
snowfalls during winter, and South Africa’s Highveld region, which is characterised
by dry and cool-to-cold winters. eThekwini’s summer temperatures can be in the
low- to mid-thirties, while the humidity ranges between 55 and 75% (Dray et al.
2006; Meissner et al. 2019). In terms of precipitation, Durban usually receives more
than 1000 mm per annum, mainly during the summer (eThekwini Municipality 2007;
Meissner et al. 2019).
eThekwini has a diverse topography, which ranges from steep escarpments in the
west of the city, to a relatively flat coastal plain in the east, where the Indian Ocean
forms 98 km of its boundary. eThekwini contains 17 river catchments that flow into
the sea via 16 estuaries and in-shore marine environments. The area in which the
municipality is located supports a wide variety of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.
The water that flows from the 17 catchments, such as the Isipingo, oHlanga, Palmiet,
Umhlangane, Umhlatazana, Umlazi, uMngeni and Umkomazi Rivers, influences