To what extent do integrated development plans reflect the policies of the political party leading the city? A comparison of the 2011 IDP’s in Johannesburg and Cape Town.

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2021

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Nhlumayo, Hyacinth

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The purpose of this research report was to investigate the extent in which Integrated Development Plans reflect the Housing and Economic Development policies of the political organization at the helm of the Municipality. The research was layered and utilized the qualitative method of research which included interviews and document analysis in order to reach its findings. It analyzed the IDP documents from the respective municipalities in comparison with the policy positions stipulated in the manifestoes and policy documents of the political organizations to find the similarities and differences which suggested the extent of the influence. Interviews with officials from the City of Johannesburg’s Economic Development Department and Integrated Development Planning: Community Dialogue Unit, the African National Congress’ Head of Policy and the Democratic Alliance’s Senior Policy Researcher were utilized in order to understand the complexities and tensions between municipal policy procedures and political influences and processes. The research report found that in reference to these two specific Integrated Development Plans, they were, to a large extent closely aligned with the policies of the political party governing at that particular juncture. The IDP’s were localized and simplified versions of the political organizations policy documents, conference resolutions and manifestoes. The IDP process fails to take power imbalances and manipulation into consideration which is its biggest flaw. In its conceptualization, the document places the participation of community members at its core, as their ideas are meant to be the main shaping tool of the document. However, practically it fails to factor in how public participation processes can be influenced and infiltrated by political organizations who oftentimes end up overpowering the views of the people. The research noted through the comparison of documents and interviews with individuals that had participated extensively in the process, that there was a constant interference throughout the IDP process from political organizations, internally through their political office bearers and externally through party aligned community members and ward committee members. Representatives from political organizations communicated the need for documents such as the IDP to be aligned with their policies and ideological positions. The IDPs public participation model and framework is seemingly flawed because of the manner in which it ignores the influence and power political organizations yield which must be taken into consideration in order to ensure that the process is fair and transparent.

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A dissertation submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Urban Studies to the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, University of the Witwatersrand, 2023

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