Shaping Durban - Durban, a competitive City for jobs and growth

To stave off risk to economic growth, plans are afoot for the City to embark on measures to meet economic challenges head-on as it is competing for growth both nationally and globally.

To this end, the Economic Development Cluster of eThekwini Municipality has started the process of developing a partnership aimed at coming up with a joint plan of action for the next five years.

It envisions that this joint plan of action will be developed by the municipality, business and other sectors that are all geared towards creating inclusive growth. It has appealed to potential partners to come on board so that a partnership can be created which jointly addresses the obstacles to growth and job creation. In 2013, the eThekwini Municipality adopted the Economic Development and Job Creation Strategy 2013-2018, which is nearing its tenure.

As part of the review, the Municipality identified that in order to move to a higher growth path there needed to be a fundamental shift in the way strategies are developed, through a new approach which is centered on "partnering for growth". It seeks to co-create a five-year growth path that is developed, signed, owned and implemented by a cross-section of key economic stakeholders and influencers.

As part of the strategy development process, the City will host a 3 day workshop/conference themed Shape Durban, from November 21 - 23, 2018 at Durban's International Convention Centre. The conference will be co-hosted by the municipality, the Global Shapers Community - Durban Hub, the Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry and various other key economic influencers. Those that are keen to add their expertise are welcome to contact the municipality in order to partner.

This will be the platform to discuss strategic priorities and milestones for the 2019-2025 accelerated and inclusive growth path, which is fundamental for economic growth.

The organizers are calling on key influencers and shapers in the eThekwini economy to work together towards creating an economic strategy that changes the growth path of the city. Partnering in this process means to work as a co-owner with the city and various other national and local organizations towards a common goal.

The key objectives in co-creating this economic action plan are to develop a platform for joint action among partners to achieve economic growth and transformation; to clearly define the youth's role in the growth of the City; to get the municipality and the partners to have strategies that are collaborative towards shared goals and exploit synergies; and to foster a sense of a 'shared future'between eThekwini and all its partners.

The conference will evolve through a dialogue structured around key themes and focus on building consensus on what needs to be done, which will set the framework for the next five years. The conference is an innovative way of co-creating an action-orientated strategy.

To learn more about Shape Durban, visit the website: https://www.shape.durban