Cato Manor ABM Introduction

Cato Manor covers a geographical area of 1800 ha. It is situated approximately 10km from Durban's city centre and is home to an estimated 93 000 people who settled in the area through mass invasions in the late 1980's and early 1990's. Cato Manor had been left vacant since the 1950's and 1960's following apartheid forced removals of an estimated 150 000 people. Today,  Cato Manor residents include some of the poorest of the urban poor, despite the successes of the Cato Manor Development Programme (Phase1).

The area remains characterized by a high unemployment rate and social gragmentation. At the same time, Cato Manor residents are increasingly taking the initiative in the development of the area and there is a high level of community organisation, citizen action and participation. The Cato Manor ABM seeks to work with these strengths and build on the existing platform of social engagement.

The ABM will concentrate its efforts on post-infrastructure development and consolidation processes such as social upliftment, responsibility and cohesion; community planning and participation; economic development and skills development.

Cato Manor ABM Goals

ABM’s Key development priorities:
Building on the achievements mentioned above, the ABM office concentrates its efforts on post-infrastructure development which focuses more on the social and economic upliftment of Cato Manor residents, enhancement of individual capacity to earn income, reduction of dependency and an increased sense of self reliance  and community cohesion through;

Sustainable  capacity building

• mobilising and building capacity of community development roleplayers and stakeholders

Synergy

• co-ordinating activities of service providers and organisations to enhance delivery process
• aligning work of local, provincial, national and private business
• facilitating co-operative partnerships between government and civil society.

Local investments and job creation

• facilitate social and local economic development by attracting  investors into the area

SupportingCitizen Action and Community Participation

• deepning the extent of community participation in programmes and projects of the ABM and the Municipality
• supporting actions of citizens in fighting poverty and creating jobs

Access to Municipal Services

•  respond rapidly to locally expressed needs
• provide full  access to municipal services and information to all residents