Wits School of Governance (ETDs)

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    Public Participation in the Integrated Development Plan: A Case of Madibeng Local Municipality, North-West Province
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023) Pilane, Mmamodikwe Violet; Ndhlovu, Hlengiwe
    This study is premised on the argument that the Integrated Development Plans (IDPs) remains an integral platform for engaging local communities through inclusive participation in the planning, implementation and reviewing of service delivery priorities. When processes, as outlined in the legislative prescripts, are not rolled out accordingly, there is a risk of public officials using IDPs as a compliance tool, while local communities consequently turn it into a platform for contestation of competing development interests. This research explores the role of public participation in the IDP processes with specific attention drawn to the Madibeng Local Municipality in the North-West province. I argue that; while public participation remains an important pillar for facilitating consultative governance within local municipalities; different understandings of its purpose and processes, coupled with longstanding service delivery challenges, have turned the IDP processes into a platform for interrogating service delivery needs for communities whereas public officials view it as a compliance process despite it not yielding positive results. This is regardless of the provisions in the South African Constitution and other acts that govern municipalities that provide processes for inclusive government and obligates local government to adhere to these. Thus, continued service delivery related protests in Madibeng Local Municipality, that are over a decade old, suggest that there is a disjuncture between the service delivery priorities as articulated by community members and the actual services that are delivered on the ground by the municipality. Therefore, the argument pursued in this report suggests that democratisation of IDPs to open up for meaningful participation by allowing communities to lead the process, has an opportunity to transform IDPs into an effective process for effective service delivery and development. The study employs an explanatory research design to understand how and why Madibeng Local Municipality reports influx of service delivery related protests when it is not exempted from the local government legislative prescript that guide the processes of inclusive governance. Evidence presented throughout the report draws from a qualitative research design that triangulates semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions and participant observation as the main methods of data collection. Data was collected to interrogate the dislocation between what the legislation dictates insofar public participation in the IDP and the ensuing implementation thereof.
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    Public participation in achieving Social Justice within the Upper Vaal Water Management Area
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023) Baloyi, Tsholofelo Molatelo Lucretius
    Public participation promotes the democratic rights of individuals and communities in South Africa within the Integrated Water Resource Management framework. Public institutions are responsible for managing public participation in ensuring social justice. However, little work has been done to understand their public participation institutional arrangements. Public participation ineffectively managed creates mistrust among the public and may contribute to misinterpretations and conflict during project management. Insufficient public participation might be contributed to the limited knowledge on the subject matter, the limitation of accessing the information, or, the socio-economic conditions of stakeholders. This study conducted interviews, which were thematically constructed by using the Social Justice Framework. In ensuring fairness during the decision-making processes, the study also assessed EIAs deducted from issued Water Use Licences to make inferences on the management of public participation within the Upper Vaal Water Management Area. The study found that the regulatory guidelines and standards needed to be reviewed to improve the participation processes, that the existing intergovernmental relationships were mismanaged and that marginalized groups are excluded during the decision-making processes within the Integrated Water Resources Management framework. The Department of Water and Sanitation in its efforts to decentralize water resources management, needs to improve its policies and the management of public participation
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    The democratic participatory experiences of black youth in the City of Johannesburg
    (2020) Ntshwanti, Thandile
    The purpose of this study was to assess the response of youth to government public participation platforms and approaches using the youth in the City of Johannesburg as a case study. Local government was chosen as the focus of the study because of its proximity to citizens. The study explored the current approaches used in the City of Johannesburg, the general views on youth participation, the response by youth to current public participation approaches used by the city and how youth participation can be improved. The study used a qualitative research approach. A combination of data collection tools was used. These were observations, document analysis, interviews and focus groups. The findings of the study show that there are various modes and approaches that the city uses to engage with the community of the City of Johannesburg. These include community meetings, suggestion boxes at municipal offices, izimbizo public meetings for discussion of specific issues and official council and ward committee meetings. While the significance of youth participation is acknowledged and expressed in various official documents, the tangible experiences by the youth indicate the opposite. In paper there are youth focused structures, but practically, they are not adequately utilised. Because youth participation is guided by the same rules and principles as general public participation with no specified allowance made for the participation of youth, the youth is not responding positively and as such youth participation is low. That is not to say that the youth has no interest in becoming active citizens, engaging with government. In fact the opposite is true. They are cognisant of their social, political and economic environment, associated challenges and their role as youth in all of it. They are not as cynical and disinterested. There are numerous other reasons why youth participation in broader participation spaces and platforms is low. One reason is that the mainstream approaches used are found to be alienating by the youth. Further, the knowledge of the different ways the youth can engage officials at local government on various issues is limited. Access to information required to participate confidently in these meetings is not easy to access
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    Public participation challenges facing ward committees in the Senqu Local Municipality
    (2020) Gqweta, Masabbatha Judith
    This purpose of this study was to investigate public participation challenges facing ward committees in the Senqu Local Municipality. This is a rural municipality under the Joe Gqabi District Municipality in the Eastern Cape. Constitutionally local government is legally bound to promote public participation through various mechanisms such as ward committees. To obtain the research objectives, the research applies a qualitative research methodology, using Arnstein’s Ladder of Participation Theory as a basis for public participation in the selected municipality. A literature review was conducted on public participation, local democracy and ward committees functioning. A purposive non-probability sampling was used as it allowed a sample from which participants are selected on the basis of their knowledge on the subject. Primary data collection comprised of semi structured interviews with three municipal officials and focus group discussions with two selected ward committees in the Senqu Local Municipality. The study presents findings from the data analysis and depict that despite the imperative role played by the ward committees, there are still challenges that face ward committees on public participation. The study closes with conclusions, recommendations for the municipality and recommendations for further research