Prefigurative Political Ecology and Socio-Environmental Injustice in Central Durban

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Notes

¹Simmer previously worked for Remnant Alton, the firm that failed miserably in its attempt to privatize Durban's municipal bus service. He had also served as director of the ill-fated Dolphin Whispers development, luxury apartments at the Durban Point Waterfront ( The Mercury 2010).

²This level of intervention was not uncommon. At Durban's main beach in July 2010, police officers who arrested one author for distributing an anti-xenophobia leaflet before the World Cup's Ghana-Uruguay match—it was termed “ambush marketing”—confirmed in a taped conversation that the City Manager had explicitly ordered, “No distribution of pamphlets, especially which mention xenophobia.” The reasoning, according to a police superintendent, was that “[y]ou are reminding [people] of xenophobia” (Bond 2010).

³For more on the fisherfolk struggle see http://vimeo.com/10840958 and http://researchspace.ukzn.ac.za/xmlui/handle/10413/276.

⁴According to the Association of American Geographers (n.d.), the Anderson Medal of Honor reflects “the most distinguished service to the profession of geography.” The idea of “Public Service,” is “of inestimable value to the community. Leadership in the wide spectrum of community affairs offers exceptional opportunities to the geographer to earn distinction. This effort should have been sustained over a period of time, have gained more than usual recognition by co-workers, public officials and fellow citizens, and have clearly influenced the progress of the community.” (AAG n.d.)

“More than usual” is correct. Wikipedia's entry on Mike Sutcliffe begins as follows:

Michael Sutcliffe is municipal manager of the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality (population 4 million), which includes the city of Durban, South Africa. As well as being the municipal manager for the region, he is also currently the most unliked person in the greater eThekwini area. Deployed to the position in 2002 by the ruling African National Congress, he oversaw the municipality's successful preparations for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, and was involved in controversy regarding street renamings, the loss of the city's Blue Flag beach status, illegally banning protests, banning posters, serious human rights abuses in the city's housing program, the failed privatization of the city's bus system, allegations of spin-doctoring, the failed uShaka Marine World, threats to withdraw advertising from newspapers employing journalists critical of the municipality, lack of action against environmental destruction, favoritism toward ANC-aligned individuals and businesses, unlawful and at times violent violations of the basic rights of street traders and shack dwellers and corruption. According to the Sunday Times he is about to be arrested on corruption charges. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Sutcliffe, accessed August 10, 2011).

On the latter charge, according to a mid-2011 report, “The [regional] African National Congress called on [provincial local government minister Nomusa] Dube to order a forensic investigation after the auditor-general found that the city had irregularly spent $80 million, and the audit implicated Sutcliffe and three officials in irregular housing contracts worth $500 million over 10 years” (Nair, 2011).