THE IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNITY
Date
2011-05-16
Authors
MASETLHA, DIPUO FAITH
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Abstract
The ANC-led liberation struggle was not only intended to remove white
leaders from state power and replace them with black leaders. Rather, in the
post-struggle dispensation, it was hoped that a multicultural South Africa
would be born and grow healthily. One element of this envisioned postapartheid
dispensation was good local governments which would have in
place good city councils guiding democratic communities. These urban
communities, under the auspices of local government, would create room for
ordinary people to participate fully and actively in the day to day running of
their urban communities. Ward councils would be part of the structure for
local government and popular participation. Ultimately, urban communities
would be so empowered as to self-legislate and self-determine-- or simply, to
self-govern. This was a hope for popular self-government. But, ten or so
years after the first democratic elections, this remains a dream yet to come
true. Although the ANC has made a remarkable shift from a liberation
movement to a ruling party, urban communities are yet to fully and actively
participate in policy- and decision-making affecting their own communities.
Two factors come readily to mind: a stultifying bureaucracy at city council
and local government level and a weak and unco-ordinated civil society. Our
study focuses on the first factor.
Local government has become more and more bureaucratised, making it
increasingly difficult for popular participation in policy- and decision-making. It
has made the terrain much more difficult. Ordinary people do not have their
voices heard. Government does not understand the circumstances of the
people. Its experts theorise, in a vacuum, poverty reduction strategies. It is
not clear whether the poor ask the right questions on how to improve their
lives. Mechanisms are lacking to hold the government accountable in
accordance with the aims, objectives, and values of the Constitution
Description
MM - P&DM
Keywords
Local authorities, Public participation in local government