About

History

The HCRDA is a new initiative in Outer West Durban, established in late 2020 to address the shared challenges faced both by firms that operate here and the community that lives here. It is a firm-led initiative that draws on leadership and expertise of individuals from a broad range of firms, the community and eThekwini Municipality.

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The HCRDA aligns with and aims to support both eThekwini Municipality’s spatial and socio-economic development plans for the area and the Premier of KwaZulu-Natal’s vision for it to develop into the ‘Midrand of KZN’.

Objectives

The objectives of the HCRDA are to: 

  • Support member firms’ competitiveness and enterprise development

  • Support improved human resources development to achieve an increase in human potential realisation and member firms’ productivity

  • Address infrastructure deficits to make the area a better place to work and live

  • Address safety deficits to make the area a safer place to work and live

  • Support member firms with efficient resource utilisation and environmental conservation and rehabilitation  

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Why these objectives matter

Each of these objectives intersects the primary interests and concerns of firms and the community. Without a shared vision of the mutually beneficial potential of the area and a structured programme of activities to achieve it, that vision will remain unfulfilled.

Why the HCRDA approach

Many challenges in Hammarsdale and Cato Ridge are significant and shared by firms and the community including human resource development, work, infrastructure, safety and environmental issues.

Alone the challenges are often overwhelming. Collaboration is essential if meaningful change is to be delivered.

Benefits

The benefits of a collaborative approach are:

Significance

  • Ongoing proactive delivery allows pre-emptive, coordinated action

  • Common platform gives a stronger voice 

  • More significant interventions allows communication and associated recognition

Effectiveness

  • Implementation of best practices based on collective knowledge

  • Inter-firm linkages, collective buying and other direct commercial benefits

Efficiency

  • Reduce duplication of efforts and overhead type costs which are shared

  • Shared learnings ensure optimal strategy, activities and reduction of waste

  • Maximise impact through economies of scale and pooled resources

  • Cost effective and improved impact of B-BBEE expenditure

Sustainability

  • Multi-firm ownership ensures long term view, continuous improvement and programme longevity

Founding principles

The HCRDA is governed by a considered Memorandum of Incorporation (MOI) which details its purpose, criteria for membership, decision-making mechanisms amongst other transparency and good governance practices required to ensure the sustainability and effectiveness of the initiative.

Delivery

Delivery is contracted to a fixed-term CEO whose business bridge solely focuses on the achievement of the HCRDA vision.