Trisector Partnership Building - South Durban Basin

Programme Background
The South Durban Basin (SDB) area stretches from the port of Durban in the north to Umbongintwini in the south and inland as far as the South Coast Road corridor.

The site is a former wetland that was drained and filled with substrate from the surrounding dunes. The SDB borders a highly biodiverse coastal dune system of international importance, which forms part of the Maputaland-Pondoland-Albany, biodiversity hotspot (www.biodiversityhotspots.org) which stretches along the east coast of southern Africa below the Great Escarpment and is an important center of plant endemism. The area is also an Endangered Bird Area (EBA), with a large number of migratory species passing through the region.

The SDB is a key manufacturing and industrial zone of the city of Durban and it is the second biggest industrial heartland of South Africa. This is the location of the country's largest petrochemical hub as well as dozens of other chemical and manufacturing plants. The main companies operating in the area are South Africa Petroleum Refineries (SAPREF); an oil refinery co-owned by Shell and BP, Mondi; a large paper mill company and Engen; petroleum refiners and retailers. The area is also home to approximately 100 000 people.

Views of the South Durban Basin

The SDB is severely affected by environmental pollution, air and water quality being the most acute problems. This is having a major impact on the health and well being of the resident population as well as impacting on the local dune ecosystem. This has given rise to tense relations between local community groups and industry.

Programme Objectives
LEF is currently working on implementing this project, the main aim of which is to facilitate the formation of tri-sector partnerships between stakeholders in the SDB, namely, the local community, business and the Government in order for them to work together to improve the local environment and consequentially bring economic and social benefits to the area.

Programme Activities
This programme is in the early stages of development. LEF has initiated dialogue with the local stakeholders and proposed a number of initiatives. These include;

• Initiate tri-sector partnership

• Development of an air quality initiative

• Community capacity development – enabling them to play a more active role in the development of SDB

• Work with school children to develop their understanding of the local environment.

• Help the companies to set up robust biodiversity initiatives – e.g. finding the most effective procedures for conserving the local dune ecosystem.

• Environmental Education (EE) training

For more information on this project contact Roger Hammond or Chris Callaghan at Living Earth