The following report provides the synthesis and outcomes of research done within municipalities in the Kwa-Zulu Natal (KZN) province. The project sought to unpack and understand how these municipalities have understood and institutionalised, the local government economic development function through an analysis of the organisational structures within each municipality.

Commissioned by the South African Cities Network (SACN) and the South African Local Government Association (SALGA), this pilot project is focused on four case studies which were selected for their variation in size, population, and role within the broader spatial economy of the KZN province. The case study municipalities discussed in this report are: eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality, uMhlathuze Municipality, Newcastle Municipality, and uMgungundlovu District Municipality, as per Figure 1 below. The following report concludes in a series of findings and insights which have informed the core content of the three concept notes that are the primary outcomes of this research project.