Enhancing Local Economic Development Outcomes: Insights from LED Experts in KwaZulu-Natal
Mzwandile Refuge Xaba ORCID ↗ · Nokukhanya Jili
International Journal of Research in Business and Social Science · 2026 · Vol. 15 / Issue 6 · 110-123
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Abstract
Local Economic Development (LED) is an important mechanism for promoting inclusive economic growth, employment creation, and improved livelihoods at the local level. However, the effectiveness and sustainability of LED interventions remain constrained by uneven economic opportunities, limited institutional capacity, inadequate community participation, and weaknesses in planning and accountability. This study explores strategies for enhancing local economic development outcomes in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) by examining the perspectives of LED experts and community members in Umlazi Township. The study adopted a qualitative research approach and utilised semi-structured interviews with five KZN LED experts and fifteen community members from Umlazi Township. The findings indicate that several initiatives, including mentorship on the provincial social economy, training of LED officers, information-sharing sessions and funding support for social entrepreneurs, are being implemented to promote local economic development. However, the findings also reveal that the impact of these interventions is constrained by inadequate continuous skills development, uneven distribution of economic benefits between urban, township and rural areas, limited adaptation of LED strategies to local conditions, institutional capacity constraints and perceived weaknesses in accountability. The study further identifies community participation, continuous capacity building, improved accountability and monitoring, and proper and consistent planning as critical mechanisms for strengthening LED outcomes. The findings suggest that LED interventions should move beyond short-term project implementation towards locally responsive, inclusive and sustainable development approaches that actively incorporate community priorities and strengthen collaboration among government, businesses and communities. The study contributes to the understanding of how expert and community perspectives can inform more effective LED implementation in KZN.
Keywords: {'name': 'Local Economic Development'}, {'name': 'Community participation'}, {'name': 'LED Experts'}, {'name': 'Capacity building;'}, {'name': 'Accountability'}, {'name': 'KwaZulu-Natal'}
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Mzwandile Refuge Xaba
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Nokukhanya Jili
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