THE Shape Durban Conference held at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre on 21 to 23 November has been hailed a major success by the City and its partners.
About 600 delegates, including businessmen and women and business representatives, tertiary education institutions, youth and youth representatives, planners, officials, social partners, activists and academics, met to develop a plan for Durban, and literally shape the city’s future. Shape Durban was particularly unique in that large and small businesses, NGOs and academia offered their time and skills to facilitate the breakaway sessions, while various attendees raised their hands to champion projects that were suggested. These delegates are partners in shaping the city’s future.
On the last day of the conference, plans for each of the key priority areas were presented to the broader group. Some actions proposed included more creating a single ‘opportunities portal’ for small businesses, creating a single ‘internship opportunities’ portal for youth, and keeping ablution facilities open for longer hours primarily in consideration of socially marginalised people.
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Deputy Mayor, Fawzia Peer said the conference was the first of its kind in the country and outlined the importance of partnerships. “We have to do things differently going forward. It is only through working together with focus and purpose that we will make a meaningful impact on society.”
Deputy Chairperson for the Economic Development and Planning Cluster, Councillor Nkosenhle Madlala said: “There are some actions that do not need to wait for the strategy to be developed; there are some that will wait for the strategy launch in March, and some that will take longer.Following this initiative, a strategy will be developed, and a launch will be held in March. In the interim, committees and action groups formed at the conference will continue to meet. Business representatives and other associations looking to partner and provide further input can access more information on www.shape.durban.
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