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The Ulundi Local Municipality seems to experience leakages from the local economy and
missed opportunities, including the loss of provincial government jobs to Pietermaritzburg,
poor land use services, limited residential opportunities, lack ofdiversified shopping facilities,
cultural events that only attract local participants, lack ofrecreation facilities and the lack of
corporate financing institutions. There is also lack ofhigher order facilities such as a multi­
lingual school, technical college, medical centre, community swimming pool, gymnasium,
restaurants and business service centres. Although the University of Zululand has a satellite
campus in Ulundi, the institution does not offer a wide range ofprogrammes like in the main
campus to address the skills shortage challenge facing the municipal area.
1.2 BACKGROUND TO THE PROBLEM
This study serves as a data collection exercise that hopes to contribute to more effective­
service delivery, through community participation and governance in the Ulundi Local
Municipality. This study therefore, assesses the land use, landscape and cultural attributes as
options and alternatives to better the socio-economic welfare and environmental
sustainability ofthe Ulundi Local Municipality (DEAT, 2004). Managing the vacuum created
following the loss of the legislative functions from Ulundi to Pietermaritzburg constitutes an
important research concern. This process is part of the study and sharpens the mechanism
used to set up local economic development [LED] within the framework of IDP. The study
interrogates the effectiveness of the IDP engagement processes especially on regional and
provincial strategic interventions at the Ulundi Local Municipality as embodied in the Batho
Pele principles (Van Der Warldt and Toit, 1999) and to find suitable ways to attract private
investment through marketing strategies.
1.3 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
The tov"n of Ulundi represents the only urban area in the local municipality of Ulundi and
therefore plays a role in providing the land use infrastructure, social and economic facilities to
the population ofthe area. This places pressure on the municipality to achieve the delivery of
various services. Ulundi consists of a large rural population and the serrlement pattern
showing a concentration ofpeople in its peri-urban areas along R66 and P700 (Figure 1.2).
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