• Start year:
• Type: Policy/Strategies/Action Plans
• Status: In operation

The energy market is rapidly changing due to various reasons including clean energy, influences of climate
change, cost of energy, customers moving off the grid etc. In some more detail:
• Renewable Energy, Energy efficiency, Demand side management and storage technologies (decreasing
traditional kWh sales from utility)
• Customers are getting smarter (behind the meter initiatives) such as smart mini-grids, storage and
embedded generation enabling disconnection from the grid
• Financial changes such as reduced technology costs and reduced financing costs (more affluent customers
can choose alternatives due to financial considerations eg rooftop solar PV)
• Enabling policy such as Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency policies and subsidies (external influences
impacting on kWh business of municipality)
• Tax incentives such as the Section 12B, K and L for efficiencies and renewables
• Many of these are currently not yet reducing the required network capacity
• This has and will result in many non-utility players entering the market creating new competition and a risk of
stranded assets for utilities
• The distributed generation and renewable energy will introduce variability into the network where a safe, reliable
and clean supply of electricity is a key pre-condition for sustainability and economic prosperity
Some of the challenges with municipalities becoming generators include:
• The definition of an IPP in the new NGR and MSA effectively means that local government cannot hold a
direct or indirect controlling interest in an IPP
• In addition currently municipalities do not have the ‘competency’ as a generator of electricity
• The reduction in energy tariff and the need to assess tariff structures based on leased lines and networks
• Safety concerns from embedded generation
• Current poorly formulated policy to deal with embedded generation
• All, if not most of these items need to be addressed in order for municipality’s to embrace opportunities and
minimise potential threats posed
• Therefore the existing utility business model and role requires a review

• Start year:
• Type: Policy/Strategies/Action Plans
• Status: In operation

This level of planning represents a massive opportunity and possible turning point for the Municipality. If planning and investment is done appropriately, KwaDukuza could ultimately attain a city environment that is highly competitive, functional and liveable, which in turn will attract key skills to the region.
In attracting more capital, in all its facets such as people and business to the region, the city would be able to enhance its revenue base to deliver better services to its citizens on a continuing basis. If its growth and development is left unchecked, however, it could become unsustainable for the region.
The KwaDukuza Municipality City Development Strategy process will serve to identify the key opportunities and challenges that underpin KwaDukuza’s performance, and develop key strategies up to the 2030 horizon to enhance and mitigate these findings and ultimately promote positive, transformational change. It should be acknowledged that the KwaDukuza Municipality City Development Strategy will align to the “INTEGRATING CLIMATE CHANGE INTO CITY DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES (CDS) - CLIMATE CHANGE AND STRATEGIC PLANNING” as published by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) - HS Number: HS/075/15E

• Start year:
• Type: Action plan
• Status: Planning phase

Ecosystems are important to the households of communities; they provide us with extensive goods and services which include food, water, air purification, water purification. However, in the past, human activities are destroying biodiversity and altering the capacity of healthy ecosystems to deliver this wide range of goods and services and furthermore climate change impact has been detrimental to environmental systems and to human households. The municipality’s vision to be achieved by the year 2030, aims for the municipality to be a vibrant city competing in the global village economically, socially, politically and in a sustainable manner. KwaDukuza Municipality is committed to climate and disaster risk management; efforts have been constricted due to human and financial resource limitations. Hence, the Community Climate Resilient Project aims to increase climate and risk resilience in economic, social, and ecosystems in KwaDukuza. The project goal is to build community climate change vulnerability and build community resilience through the rehabilitation of natural resources and households. This will ensure the reduction of risks associated with the changing climate conditions through stronger natural systems that can handle weather events better.

• Start year:
• Type: Policy/Strategies/Action Plans
• Status: In operation

KwaDukuza Municipality has developed a waste management plan and waste related legislative development and reform processes. The reform process is aimed at developing integrated waste management systems for the management of waste within KDM boundaries. Section 11 of the Waste Act, the Integrated Pollution and Waste Management Policy and the National Waste Management Strategy requires KDM to develop an integrated waste management plan.The reform process exercise began with the Status Quo Analysis of the waste generation and management systems within KDM.
The Status Quo Analysis Report is developed in line with the guidelines for developing an Integrated Waste Management Plan (IWMP) and forms Phase 1 of the development process of the municipal IWMP. IWMPs were identified in the National Waste Management Strategy (NWMS) document (2000 and 2010) as a tool to assist municipalities to provide effective waste management services. The status quo analysis investigated the amount and types of general waste currently generated, collected, transported, recycled, treated and disposed of.

• Start year:
• Type: Regulatory
• Status: Completed

The purpose of the KwaDukuza Land Use Management System is to guide and manage development in the municipality according to the vision, strategies and policies of the Integrated Development Plan and associated Spatial Development Frameworks in order to promote and encourage sustainable development and quality of life. The municipality deems land use planning as a major contributing factor in reducing carbon emissions and thus the Land Use Management System is a tool that will be used to reduce emissions through promoting amongst other things such as urban compaction, integrated transport planning, and environmental management. This includes the municipality's green building guidelines which will be part of the KwaDukuza Municipality Land Use Management System.

• Start year:
• Type: Advice / Tools
• Status: Completed

The KwaDukuza Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Inventory was conducted using energy data from the 2012 calendar year as the baseline for this study. The GHG inventory is compliant with the international accounting protocols, techniques and methodologies of both International Local Government Greenhouse Gas Emissions Analysis Protocol (IEAP) version 1.0 and the Global Protocol for Community-Scale Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GPC). The characteristics of the local context are mirrored by the GHG results with the residential, commercial and industrial sector sharing the larger proportion of the emissions for the area. With a relatively small population, 231 189 (2011), the energy and emissions per capita is 23 GJ/capita and 4,36 tCO2e/capita respectively. It is difficult to compare these results to other municipalities in South Africa as the local context, including the size, population and economic drivers differ significantly to the some of the municipalities that have undertaken a GHG Inventory using 2012 energy data

• Start year:
• Type: Technical/Infrastructure investment
• Status: In operation

The KwaDukuza Municipality inter-modal facility is part of the action plan that the municipality would like to implement regarding an integrated transport system with a main focus relating to the modal splits thus making traveling for commuters efficient. The project envisions the use of public transport facilities as a catalyst for development and greater economic integration. This concept is referred to as an Intermodal facility; an intermodal facility can be defined as a place where interface occurs between transportation systems. This development intends to transform the role of the rail station into unique, vibrant, well integrated and sustainable mixed use environment and gateways. The on-going discussions for future attachment to rail station therefore makes this a transit oriented development (TOD).In a passenger terminal, people enter the facility by one mode of access (e.g. on foot, riding a bicycle, by car, by bus or train, etc.) and leave by another. The term “multimodal terminal” is generally applied to a terminal that serves multiple transit operators and/or modes, such as combined bus and rail stations. The term “intermodal” implies not only multiple transit modes but also a high degree of connectivity and interchange between modes

• Start year:
• Type: Strategy / Policy
• Status: Planning phase

The outcomes intended for the green building guidelines is for the application and putting into practice the laws governing top structures and whether the building proposals are in line with the prescripts of the act. The municipality will be using the guidelines in order to effect and assess building plans thus ascertaining whether the building has incorporated green elements such as natural light rather than artificial lighting.

• Start year: 2014
• Type: Education/Awareness Raising
• Status: In operation

Through effective communication, KwaDukuza Municipality seeks to create environmental awareness amongst its municipality by introducing a programme of recycling bins. Recycling bins will ensure that employees see environmental responsibility as an intrinsic element of their work.

• Start year: 2013
• Type: Technical/Infrastructure investment
• Status: In operation

This project is for the installation of Geyser/ Ripple relays. The installation of additional 3500 relays in the southern section. This is funded by Eskom as one of the Demand Side Management (DSM) project.

• Start year:
• Type: Policy/Strategies/Action Plans
• Status: Completed

The outcomes intended for the green building guidelines is for the application and putting into practice the laws governing top structures and whether the building proposals are in line with the prescripts of the act. The municipality will be using the guidelines in order to effect and assess building plans thus ascertaining whether the building has incorporated green elements such as natural light rather than artificial lighting.

• Start year: 2014
• Type: Education/Awareness Raising
• Status: In operation

The purpose of the programme is to educate residents of KwaDukuza on heat insulation cookers as an alternative technology for cooking and encourage awareness on energy (per kilowatts hour) consumption

• Start year:
• Type: Policy/Strategies/Action Plans
• Status: Completed

The strategic framework has been developed as a joint effort between KwaDukuza Municipality and local stakeholders from government, community and business.
KwaDukuza’s existing high-level Climate Change Response Strategy (CCRS) was taken as the foundational basis for this strategic framework and action plan.
Primary and background research was conducted. A greenhouse gas inventory was compiled, displaying all the energy and associated emissions used in the municipality. The distribution and analysis of a staff awareness questionnaire measured the awareness and enthusiasm of municipal staff towards sustainable low carbon development. Interviews with influential stakeholders were conducted.
A creative an innovative scenario planning process was used to devise; four possible future development scenarios, a preferred scenario and vision, six transition areas to reach the vision, and a set of accompanying strategic objectives.
Initial action planning took place to identify existing and short-term potential measures that the Municipality and its stakeholders could begin straight away or in the next financial year
Additional research was conducted by expert consultants on each of the transition areas, to unpack the transition in more detail and make additional recommendations. These recommendations were presented to municipal staff and local stakeholders for consideration, and have formed a strong input into this strategic framework.
The process followed has largely been shaped by ICLEI’s GreenClimateCities methodology – a municipal planning and implementation process to create and implement low emission development strategies.

• Start year:
• Type: Action plan
• Status: Planning phase

KwaDukuza ecosystems including its estuaries are under pressure and have been seriously damaged due to:
• urbanisation,
• agricultural activities,
• land use activities both legal and illegal,
• mismanagement of natural resources and
• an increase in population

• Start year:
• Type: Policy/Strategies/Action Plans
• Status: In operation

The development of the KwaDukuza Disaster Management Framework and Plan will enable the Municipality to comply with relevant legislations regarding disaster management. Both the Municipal Systems Act (32 of 2000) and the Disaster Management Act (57 of 2002) require that disaster management is an integral part of the District and Local Municipalities’ respective Integrated Development Plans. In addition, as the proposed amendments to the Disaster Management Act infer, climate change poses a significant threat, particularly at the local level and should be adequately addressed in the risk reduction component of any Disaster Management Plan.

• Start year:
• Type: Education/Awareness Raising
• Status: In operation

The Care Givers at Groutville have their hands full with caring for orphans, but they received some support to make their lives easier while also considering the environment. As part of the Urban LEDS Programme the KwaDukuza Municipality has teamed up with ICLEI African and Child Welfare to support these families while also show casing ways to save energy in a practical manner.
Each of the twenty care homes received a Wonderbag insulation cooker, a mobile solar LED light and compost container to assist them on their journey in going green. They also received training on how to use each of these items and why it is important to save electricity.

• Start year:
• Type: Action plan
• Status: Planning phase

The project will be rolled out in phases, phase one being the pilot project which will be focusing on greening the KwaDukuza CBD Library. Thereafter, in the next financial years (depending on the available budget) the project will be replicated on the other municipal buildings which would include the community halls and libraries. For the implementation of the KwaDukuza Municipality Green Building Guidelines, this project envisages to meet the following objectives:

• Start year:
• Type: Policy/Strategies/Action Plans
• Status: In operation

The energy market is rapidly changing due to various reasons including clean energy, influences of climate
change, cost of energy, customers moving off the grid etc. In some more detail:
• Renewable Energy, Energy efficiency, Demand side management and storage technologies (decreasing
traditional kWh sales from utility)
• Customers are getting smarter (behind the meter initiatives) such as smart mini-grids, storage and
embedded generation enabling disconnection from the grid
• Financial changes such as reduced technology costs and reduced financing costs (more affluent customers
can choose alternatives due to financial considerations eg rooftop solar PV)
• Enabling policy such as Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency policies and subsidies (external influences
impacting on kWh business of municipality)
• Tax incentives such as the Section 12B, K and L for efficiencies and renewables
• Many of these are currently not yet reducing the required network capacity
• This has and will result in many non-utility players entering the market creating new competition and a risk of
stranded assets for utilities
• The distributed generation and renewable energy will introduce variability into the network where a safe, reliable
and clean supply of electricity is a key pre-condition for sustainability and economic prosperity
Some of the challenges with municipalities becoming generators include:
• The definition of an IPP in the new NGR and MSA effectively means that local government cannot hold a
direct or indirect controlling interest in an IPP
• In addition currently municipalities do not have the ‘competency’ as a generator of electricity
• The reduction in energy tariff and the need to assess tariff structures based on leased lines and networks
• Safety concerns from embedded generation
• Current poorly formulated policy to deal with embedded generation
• All, if not most of these items need to be addressed in order for municipality’s to embrace opportunities and
minimise potential threats posed
• Therefore the existing utility business model and role requires a review

• Start year:
• Type: Policy/Strategies/Action Plans
• Status: In operation

This level of planning represents a massive opportunity and possible turning point for the Municipality. If planning and investment is done appropriately, KwaDukuza could ultimately attain a city environment that is highly competitive, functional and liveable, which in turn will attract key skills to the region.
In attracting more capital, in all its facets such as people and business to the region, the city would be able to enhance its revenue base to deliver better services to its citizens on a continuing basis. If its growth and development is left unchecked, however, it could become unsustainable for the region.
The KwaDukuza Municipality City Development Strategy process will serve to identify the key opportunities and challenges that underpin KwaDukuza’s performance, and develop key strategies up to the 2030 horizon to enhance and mitigate these findings and ultimately promote positive, transformational change. It should be acknowledged that the KwaDukuza Municipality City Development Strategy will align to the “INTEGRATING CLIMATE CHANGE INTO CITY DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES (CDS) - CLIMATE CHANGE AND STRATEGIC PLANNING” as published by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) - HS Number: HS/075/15E

• Start year:
• Type: Action plan
• Status: Planning phase

Ecosystems are important to the households of communities; they provide us with extensive goods and services which include food, water, air purification, water purification. However, in the past, human activities are destroying biodiversity and altering the capacity of healthy ecosystems to deliver this wide range of goods and services and furthermore climate change impact has been detrimental to environmental systems and to human households. The municipality’s vision to be achieved by the year 2030, aims for the municipality to be a vibrant city competing in the global village economically, socially, politically and in a sustainable manner. KwaDukuza Municipality is committed to climate and disaster risk management; efforts have been constricted due to human and financial resource limitations. Hence, the Community Climate Resilient Project aims to increase climate and risk resilience in economic, social, and ecosystems in KwaDukuza. The project goal is to build community climate change vulnerability and build community resilience through the rehabilitation of natural resources and households. This will ensure the reduction of risks associated with the changing climate conditions through stronger natural systems that can handle weather events better.

• Start year:
• Type: Policy/Strategies/Action Plans
• Status: In operation

KwaDukuza Municipality has developed a waste management plan and waste related legislative development and reform processes. The reform process is aimed at developing integrated waste management systems for the management of waste within KDM boundaries. Section 11 of the Waste Act, the Integrated Pollution and Waste Management Policy and the National Waste Management Strategy requires KDM to develop an integrated waste management plan.The reform process exercise began with the Status Quo Analysis of the waste generation and management systems within KDM.
The Status Quo Analysis Report is developed in line with the guidelines for developing an Integrated Waste Management Plan (IWMP) and forms Phase 1 of the development process of the municipal IWMP. IWMPs were identified in the National Waste Management Strategy (NWMS) document (2000 and 2010) as a tool to assist municipalities to provide effective waste management services. The status quo analysis investigated the amount and types of general waste currently generated, collected, transported, recycled, treated and disposed of.

• Start year:
• Type: Regulatory
• Status: Completed

The purpose of the KwaDukuza Land Use Management System is to guide and manage development in the municipality according to the vision, strategies and policies of the Integrated Development Plan and associated Spatial Development Frameworks in order to promote and encourage sustainable development and quality of life. The municipality deems land use planning as a major contributing factor in reducing carbon emissions and thus the Land Use Management System is a tool that will be used to reduce emissions through promoting amongst other things such as urban compaction, integrated transport planning, and environmental management. This includes the municipality's green building guidelines which will be part of the KwaDukuza Municipality Land Use Management System.

• Start year:
• Type: Education/Awareness Raising
• Status: In operation

The Eco-Schools programme is an international programme of the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) that was developed to support environmental learning in the classroom. The programme is active in 51 countries around the world and has been implemented in South Africa since 2003 by WESSA. The programme is aimed at creating awareness and action around environmental sustainability in schools and their surrounding communities as well as supporting ESD (Education for Sustainable Development) in the national curriculum. With over 50% of the content in some CAPS subjects being environmental in nature Eco-Schools makes a positive contribution towards improving education in South Africa.

• Start year: 2010
• Type: Policy/Strategies/Action Plans
• Status: Completed

The Coastal Development Management Tool was proposed to inform the Planning Framework insofar as zonation of activities in each area of the coastline, development setback lines and development controls appropriate for each coastal location (coastal planning) was concerned.

• Start year: 2013
• Type: Technical/Infrastructure investment
• Status: In operation

The purpose of replacing the existing streetlights with the LED is the following:

• Start year: 2013
• Type: Policy/Strategies/Action Plans
• Status: Completed

Mott MacDonald South Africa (MMSA) was appointed by the KwaDukuza Municipality to evaluate climate change management risks to the Municipality and develop a Climate Change Response Strategy (CCRS) of climate change mitigation and climate change adaptation response options.

• Start year:
• Type: Policy/Strategies/Action Plans
• Status: In operation

The eight estuaries which fall within the Kwadukuza Municipality boundaries are categorised as intermittently open estuaries with the exception of the uMvoti estuary which is classified as a river mouth (Table 4.1). Only one estuary with the municipality (uThongathi estuary) has had its present ecological status and preliminary ecological reserve determined formally using the methods described by the National Water Act of 1998. This is unfortunate as this process would clarify a great deal about the water quantity and quality issues facing these systems as well as provide a sound basis for the Estuarine Management Plans which are required as part of the new Integrated Coastal Management Act. Both would contribute towards the better management of impacting activities which are influencing the status of these systems thereby assisting in the restoration and proactive protection of these important ecosystem units. Fortunately a number of the estuaries have been sampled during recent times by MER and this was used recently, together with other recent information to conduct a desktop assessment as part of the National Biodiversity Assessment conducted by SANBI.
It is extremely important to take into account the regional significance of these eight estuaries. Although only eight of a total of eighty estuaries these systems are eight out of a total of only nineteen estuaries north of Durban. In addition, they are immediately adjacent to the estuaries of the eThekwini Municipality which have been recently assessed and found to be in an extremely poor state with only two of sixteen systems in a good condition and the remainder considered to be in poor to degraded condition. This makes these estuaries even more significant in the role they play on the KZN coast and particularly their role in terms of nursery function for important marine species which utilise these habitats to complete their life cycles.
The desktop assessment provides an indication of Present Ecological Status (PES) and a regional overview of the estuarine area of the municipality as well as the condition of the estuarine resource (Table 5.1). It can be quickly and clearly seen from this and Figure 5.1 that the estuarine assets of the Kwadukuza Municipality which total 924 ha (a reduced total) are on a negative trajectory. This is in evidence with only one relatively small estuary (3 ha) being considered to currently exist in a B category (largely natural with few modifications) or Good condition. This only comprises 0.4% of the estuarine habitat within the municipal area. No estuaries could be rated in an A category or Excellent condition and no estuaries have any formal protection. Four of the systems are currently sitting in a category C or Fair condition which contributes 31% of the total estuarine and a total area of 288 ha. The remaining three are considered to be in poor to highly degraded condition. One of these, namely the uMvoti estuary, is the only estuary categorised within this stretch of coastline as a river mouth and it is
considered to be in a category D or Poor condition. This means that for this estuarine category 100% of the estuarine area is in Poor condition.
The conditions which exist in these systems are a result of poor management of anthropogenic impacting activities and are in many cases considered completely reversible. This would require proactive interventions and collaboration between various levels of government, NGO’s, landowners and stakeholders.

• Start year: 2013
• Type: Policy/Strategies/Action Plans
• Status: Completed

Vast areas of the Kwadukuza municipality have been transformed from their natural state, largely through the cultivation of sugar cane. Of the total municipal area of 73 497.2 Ha, only 17 949.6 is untransformed (24.4%). The degree to which the municipality and surrounding areas have been transformed has meant that remaining untransformed areas have gained a high level of importance from a biodiversity conservation perspective and because of the importance of the ecosystem services which are delivered by these areas.

• Start year: 2007
• Type: Policy/Strategies/Action Plans
• Status: Completed

The purpose of undertaking an SEA is to strengthen and support sustainability planning as an integral part of the IDP process. The SEA will therefore provide the Municipality with a decision support tool to evaluate its outcomes in terms of its environmental implications.