The role of community participation in the intergrated development planning process : a case study of Makhuduthamaga Local Municipality in Limpopo Province

Abstract

This mini-dissertation examines the role of community participation in the Integrated Development Planning (lDP) Process in the Makhuduthamaga Local Municipality; and to establish how the Municipality seek to facilitate community participation. Furthermore, the study examines whether citizens are provided with genuine opportunities to influence decision-making at the local level from the stages of prioritizing, allocation of operational expenditure and implementation of developmental projects in their municipality. In addition, constraints hindering community participation in the lDP process are also examined. Finally, the study concludes that the nature and extent of community participation in the Integrated Development Planning Process of Makhuduthamaga Local Municipality is that of consulting and informing the community but lacks effective bottom-up input from the citizens. Even though the municipality holds frequent public hearings and neighbourhood meetings with various stakeholders, the councillors and community representatives are just co-opted in the lDP Forums without any power to influence the council, while the officials retain the right to make final decisions .