Abstract
This article critically assesses the notion of Local Economic Development (LED) and utilizes South Africa as a case of reference, through which the conceptualization and underpinnings, associated with LED, are understood. South Africa has come through what one may call three waves of development change, which comprise the apartheid period (1949–1990), the transition period (1990–1994) and the post-apartheid era (1994–present). During both the apartheid and transition period, South Africa was at war with itself and neighbouring countries and economic growth, resources, employment and service delivery were scarce, particularly to the black majority because of the apartheid regimes destabilization policies. Post democratization, and with the inauguration of the democratic elected African National Congress (ANC) government, there were envisioned blueprint frameworks that ought to reverse the erstwhile apartheid regimes policies of racism, inequality and segregation. These were earmarked to alter South Africa’s development and economic growth landscape through the lens of LED. Hence, the promotion of LED was identified as a noteworthy strategy that can ultimately lead to community development, economic growth and poverty relief.
Highlights
One essential dimension of global contemporary development thinking is the enhanced importance of locally driven development processes
While Local Economic Development (LED) driven initiatives have their roots in high-income countries of the global North, in the South, this approach has overtime materialized as a dynamic economic growth strategy because of various factors that include drastic changes in the national and economic development, poverty and slow economic growth [1]
Materials and Results This study is drawn from a qualitative research approach as it relied robustly on secondary data that was carefully extracted from journal articles, books, chapters in books and credible online sources monitoring or analyzing South Africa’s LED protocols post the apartheid era
Summary
One essential dimension of global contemporary development thinking is the enhanced importance of locally driven development processes. While Local Economic Development (LED) driven initiatives have their roots in high-income countries of the global North, in the South, this approach has overtime materialized as a dynamic economic growth strategy because of various factors that include drastic changes in the national and economic development, poverty and slow economic growth [1]. LED planning in South Africa was mainly centralized and more concentrated in large cities. This changed post–1994 and was recognized by the 1996 Constitution, the 1998 White Paper on Local Government and the 2000 Local government Municipal Systems Act among other government policy documents
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