Planning: a source of education
Date
2014-04-30
Authors
Kuzwayo, Tidimalo Angela
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Abstract
PROBLEM STATEMENT
Planners encounter problems as they work among disadvantaged
communities. Most community leaders engage in planning
operations, excluding the community from participating in the
solution of their problems.
Lack of openness on the part of leadership and top down planning
with landowners, professionals, local councils and contractors
on behalf of communities, brings about lack of confidence in the
leadership. This also creates mistrust, suspicion and lack of
co-operation from the community.
For this discourse to address this problem, planners should
consider the planning-process as one that can educate the
leadrship to realise that communication, participation and cooperation
are major aspects for development to take place.
Involving communities in the solution of their problems is of
primary importance.
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
To investigate how the communities can be educated through
planning. To prioritise issues which can be dealt with and
identified in order to bring informed community participation.
METHODOLOGY
Reference shall be given to the issue of informal or squatter
settlements and problems encountered therein in general.
Mandelaville Informal Settlement Community shall be the case
study. A questionnaire was drafted and a sample randomly
selected. A representative of the Local Council was
interviewed, community members, their leaders and all other
parties with information pertaining to Mandelaville and the
residents. It was also important to get the views of experts in
the planning field.