Community participation is a concept meant to ensure that community members are an integral part of processes that determine their destination in relation to their development needs. It is a means of empowering people by developing their skills and abilities to enable them to negotiate and make appropriate decisions for their development. Community participation, however, is not without its challenges. In most development projects initiated by local municipalities and other government departments in South Africa, community participation appears to be an afterthought. Most often, community members are consulted after decisions are made by government agencies with regards to the kind of development projects that need to be implemented. As a consequence, community development projects which are intended to improve the quality of life of the majority of communities in South Africa, do not meet this objective. The aim of this study was to evaluate community participation in rural development projects and focuses on the Mokgalwaneng community in the North West province of South Africa as a case study. The research asks the following questions: What is the nature of and extent to which community members participate in rural development projects? What are the challenges to community participation in rural development projects and how can these challenges be addressed? An evaluative research design and qualitative and quantitative methodologies were used. The sample groups were the community members and the DRDLR officials and semi-structured questionnaires as interview guides for data collection were used. The study revealed that the majority of the respondents did not participate in the initiation and planning stages of the projects. And the study further revealed that no income and low-income, politics, favoritism, long working hours, illiteracy, low self-esteem, lack of training, lack of resources, lack of communication, lack of information and transparency about the projects are the challenges of participation. It is therefore recommended that, the government should support the community in all levels to ensure a strong commitment to participation in their development projects. It is anticipated that this study will enable the community members and all role players involved in the Mokgalwaneng development projects to realize the importance and advantages of community participation and that they will work through the challenges in order to increase community participation in development projects. / Development Studies / M.A. (Development Studies)

Community participation is a concept meant to ensure that community members are an integral part of processes that determine their destination in relation to their development needs. It is a means of empowering people by developing their skills and abilities to enable them to negotiate and make appropriate decisions for their development. Community participation, however, is not without its challenges. In most development projects initiated by local municipalities and other government departments in South Africa, community participation appears to be an afterthought. Most often, community members are consulted after decisions are made by government agencies with regards to the kind of development projects that need to be implemented. As a consequence, community development projects which are intended to improve the quality of life of the majority of communities in South Africa, do not meet this objective. The aim of this study was to evaluate community participation in rural development projects and focuses on the Mokgalwaneng community in the North West province of South Africa as a case study. The research asks the following questions: What is the nature of and extent to which community members participate in rural development projects? What are the challenges to community participation in rural development projects and how can these challenges be addressed? An evaluative research design and qualitative and quantitative methodologies were used. The sample groups were the community members and the DRDLR officials and semi-structured questionnaires as interview guides for data collection were used. The study revealed that the majority of the respondents did not participate in the initiation and planning stages of the projects. And the study further revealed that no income and low-income, politics, favoritism, long working hours, illiteracy, low self-esteem, lack of training, lack of resources, lack of communication, lack of information and transparency about the projects are the challenges of participation. It is therefore recommended that, the government should support the community in all levels to ensure a strong commitment to participation in their development projects. It is anticipated that this study will enable the community members and all role players involved in the Mokgalwaneng development projects to realize the importance and advantages of community participation and that they will work through the challenges in order to increase community participation in development projects. / Development Studies / M.A. (Development Studies)

Traditional development theories concentrated on stimulating economic growth without considering the extent to which growth would affect rural people's quality of life. Modernisation has failed to improve life in rural Third World areas. Current development thinking emphasises the human aspect of development and IS more inclined towards participatory rural development. Referring specifically to the Batlharos Water project, the study investigates and identifies the causes ofthe limited initiatives in participatory development within the Kudumane district in the North-West Province of South Africa. Trends in the evolution of development thought to people's participation, including factors, processes and approaches that may facilitate participatory development in the Kudumane area are discussed. Factors that have affected and limited earlier participatory initiatives in this area are isolated. The study concludes that unless rural communities constantly become the planners, initiators and executors of local development, no real transformation of their lives can be accomplished. / Development Studies / M.A. (Development Administration)

Traditional development theories concentrated on stimulating economic growth without considering the extent to which growth would affect rural people's quality of life. Modernisation has failed to improve life in rural Third World areas. Current development thinking emphasises the human aspect of development and IS more inclined towards participatory rural development. Referring specifically to the Batlharos Water project, the study investigates and identifies the causes ofthe limited initiatives in participatory development within the Kudumane district in the North-West Province of South Africa. Trends in the evolution of development thought to people's participation, including factors, processes and approaches that may facilitate participatory development in the Kudumane area are discussed. Factors that have affected and limited earlier participatory initiatives in this area are isolated. The study concludes that unless rural communities constantly become the planners, initiators and executors of local development, no real transformation of their lives can be accomplished. / Development Studies / M.A. (Development Administration)