Packaging township development projects

There are no simple solutions for leveraging the project inputs required for the success of township development projects. In most cases, such projects require long planning and implementation periods, the involvement of numerous agencies, and ample persistence and skill. This paper will examines how the inputs for successful township development projects can be mobilised and managed through the course of a project.

The study observes that the  required inputs will be sourced from the municipality, provincial and national departments, and the private sector including non-profit groups). The distribution of inputs between institutions in these three sectors often pose the biggest challenge to township project managers. In most urban renewal environments, including townships, the majority of physical development projects require public-sector intervention in parallel to private investment. So, for example, studies of the successful URP anchor projects (DPLG 2009) demonstrate the success of interventions where the municipality assembles the land input and secures the requisite statutory approvals; as public and municipal capital investment in facilities and the public environment starts the investment ball rolling, this attracts additional private-sector investment, which, in turn, creates opportunities for smaller-scale private investment.

The study identifies a set of intervention strategies that target the physical transformation of township environments. Any physical intervention project – be it the establishment of a node, an activity spine or improving an open space system – need four inputs to be mobilised and applied:

1. Land

2. Capital

3. Human resources and skills

4. Statutory approvals and authorisations

To secure these inputs, a fifth condition is required: leadership. Someone needs to drive the complex processes of mobilising and applying these inputs. This is generally the function of the project manager. This paper is therefore written to help project managers/township renewal practitioners explore the processes of mobilising and applying the necessary requirements for success.

The paper conclude by stating that at the centre of all the successful case studies is a project manager, frequently  supported by a project team, committed to seeing the project through to the end. If such leadership cannot be secured, the project will probably fail and should not even be attempted.