An assessment of Rosendal-Mautse participation in the IDP process of Dihlabeng Municipality

[摘要] Since 1994, the newly elected democratic government of the Republic of South Africa,starting with the government of National Unity, has introduced various policies andlegislation in an endeavour to place the country on a path to recovery after the demise ofapartheid. The national government has placed this responsibility in the hands ofmunicipalities, or local government as they are commonly referred to. As a result,municipalities have an active duty to create conducive environments to enable localcommunities to participate in the preparation, implementation and review of theirIntegrated Development Plan (IDP).The purpose of this study is to assess the public participation of Rosendal-Mautse, onearea among the five towns that comprise Dihlabeng Municipality, in the IDP process ofDihlabeng Municipality. In view of the anthology of legislation governing 'publicparticipation at local government level, the study poses two hypotheses, which weretested against the data collected. Furthermore, two additional research questions wereformulated to guide the research process. Results of the research are provided in a waythat will enable the reader to draw his or her own conclusions on the value of this study.The literature review on international understanding and practices of public participationsuggest that participation has grown and that its role has extended in development. Thishas resulted in the birth of new approaches that cut across theory, policy and practice,with each approach in turn producing its own trajectory and contextual specificities thatare characterised by unique debates and empirical evidence.Municipalities are currently burdened with the responsibility to achieve socio-economicgoals associated with public participation. However, despite compliance with legalrequirement for public participation, only an appropriate knowledge of the processleading to meaningful participation and the relevant skills hold the key to success in thisquest to reconstruct and develop the country where all will live a better life.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University