Abstract
Ph.D. (Geography)
Local Economic Development is regarded as an important contributor in the development of places. It is widely argued that not all places are equally resourced to thrive and neither will they have the same opportunities to unlock economic development potential. Territorial factors such as local conditions, institutional arrangements, networks of association and proximity to regional, national and global economic activity amongst other are all regarded as important factors that contribute to development success. Significant scholarship exist from a range of academic disciplines including economics, governance, development planning and geography and all contribute to the rich tapestry of knowledge that exists on the context and contributions of Local Economic Development to locality development. In common with international trends, increased attention is placed on an institution which has played a significant role in facilitating territorial development. These Local Economic Development Agencies (LEDAs) which operate at sub-national level have provided context specific solutions to local development challenges and have contributed significantly to the spatial restructuring of localities together with key private and public sector stakeholders. Evidence from countries in the North suggests that LEDAs are strategically located in the Local Development system and where well resourced, they play an important role in harnessing local economic development potential.
It is apparent that in the global South, limited research exists on the differing contexts of LEDAs, including their role within and contribution to the local development system. This specific research seeks to enrich debates by exploring the context of LEDAs in the global South, and in South Africa, in particular. It analyses how LEDAs in the South African context have evolved since their inception, the key influences on their operational environment as well as delivery progress, especially during a maturation phase. To achieve these research objectives the study applied a combination of methodologies to explore the South African context of LEDAs. This included the analysis of policy and legislative context of LEDAs in South Africa, the tracking of documentary material, the interrogation of the national LEDA survey material and the application of case study methodology to intensify the understanding of different LEDAs in a town, region and city context during its maturation phase. Three detailed case studies were undertaken of the Amathole Economic Development Agency, the Blue Crane Development Agency and the Mandela Bay Development Agency...