Local opposition to town planning applications creates time delays for developers, town planners, and municipal authorities, while also increasing financial costs associated with development. For local communities, opposition means considerable time and financial investment to protect the place they live in from unwanted development. Place attachment, which develops as a result of experiences with or in a place, is one of the reasons why local communities oppose land development – this reaction towards proposed land changes is often considered NIMBYist. Although disciplines such as natural resource management already trained its focus on the influence of place attachment as a motivating factor in participatory planning intentions internationally, it is not clear whether there exists a relationship between place attachment and public participation in South African town planning processes. As such, the aim of this research is to explore the relationship between place attachment and public participation in a South African town planning process. This research focuses on the lived experience of place attachment of residents of the Bult area of the Tlokwe Local Municipality in the North West Province of South Africa, and the role that place attachment experiences played in their participation in a town planning process. The research design is qualitative, using archival data, located participant interviews, and supportive photographic data to explore the lived experiences of 18 participants from three case studies. The data was analysed thematically. The data indicated the link between actual or potential incremental changes through town planning actions in an urban environment and the impact these changes had on the well-being of the residents of that place. The effect of incremental urban changes, actual or potential, motivated participants to participate in the public participation process of rezoning applications in order to oppose the environmental changes. These potential and/or actual environmental changes also led to place protective actions outside the formal participation process. This research indicates that due consideration should be given to opposition to town planning applications, as it can in fact be driven by deeper emotional reasons that cannot be expressed in the legal and technical language associated with the town planning discipline. These reactions should not be considered in a negative light by developers, town planners, and municipal authorities, as they can provide insight on what types of land use changes can implemented successfully in a place. To this effect, a life cycle relationship between place attachment and public participation in a town planning process (as it happened in the three case studies) is proposed as a point of departure for future research. A suggestion is made to incorporate place attachment in urban planning practice. / PhD (Urban and Regional Planning), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

In any democratic dispensation public participation is a wide spread concern and highly topical to guide a discourse on openness, transparency, and inclusiveness in government. The importance and contribution of public participation to a healthy and developing democracy should not be underestimated. There are various forms of public participation that are known in the literature. They range from general consultation, submission of comments to public institutions, to direct negotiations and interaction. In the South African Police Service, the notion and principles of public participation are embedded in a modern community policing approach. This approach was adopted by the South African Government post-1994. The concept Community Policing is generally about making policing more community-centred through the active engagement of community members in the affairs of the police. Community policing is multidimensional in addressing social problems such as crime and poverty. It also involves community empowerment to guide the community in addressing their own challenges. To give operational impetus to a community policing approach, Community Policing Forums (CPFs) have been established as a mechanism to foster public participation in general and active community engagement in policing matters in particular. The roles of CPFs are entrenched in national legislation and a comprehensive regulatory framework further guide the functioning of these structures. The functioning of these CPFs is, however, not without challenges. By following a qualitative case study design, this study investigated the particular challenges associated with public participation in the CPFs of the Tlokwe Local Municipality (TLM). The study has been conducted in the three police stations of TLM, namely Potchefstroom, Ikageng and Buffelshoek. The aim of this study was to present the need for the development of a comprehensive strategy to enhance public participation in CPFs in TLM. Such a strategy is suggested as main solution to address the variety of challenges identified. / MA (Public Management and Governance), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Local opposition to town planning applications creates time delays for developers, town planners, and municipal authorities, while also increasing financial costs associated with development. For local communities, opposition means considerable time and financial investment to protect the place they live in from unwanted development. Place attachment, which develops as a result of experiences with or in a place, is one of the reasons why local communities oppose land development – this reaction towards proposed land changes is often considered NIMBYist. Although disciplines such as natural resource management already trained its focus on the influence of place attachment as a motivating factor in participatory planning intentions internationally, it is not clear whether there exists a relationship between place attachment and public participation in South African town planning processes. As such, the aim of this research is to explore the relationship between place attachment and public participation in a South African town planning process. This research focuses on the lived experience of place attachment of residents of the Bult area of the Tlokwe Local Municipality in the North West Province of South Africa, and the role that place attachment experiences played in their participation in a town planning process. The research design is qualitative, using archival data, located participant interviews, and supportive photographic data to explore the lived experiences of 18 participants from three case studies. The data was analysed thematically. The data indicated the link between actual or potential incremental changes through town planning actions in an urban environment and the impact these changes had on the well-being of the residents of that place. The effect of incremental urban changes, actual or potential, motivated participants to participate in the public participation process of rezoning applications in order to oppose the environmental changes. These potential and/or actual environmental changes also led to place protective actions outside the formal participation process. This research indicates that due consideration should be given to opposition to town planning applications, as it can in fact be driven by deeper emotional reasons that cannot be expressed in the legal and technical language associated with the town planning discipline. These reactions should not be considered in a negative light by developers, town planners, and municipal authorities, as they can provide insight on what types of land use changes can implemented successfully in a place. To this effect, a life cycle relationship between place attachment and public participation in a town planning process (as it happened in the three case studies) is proposed as a point of departure for future research. A suggestion is made to incorporate place attachment in urban planning practice. / PhD (Urban and Regional Planning), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

In any democratic dispensation public participation is a wide spread concern and highly topical to guide a discourse on openness, transparency, and inclusiveness in government. The importance and contribution of public participation to a healthy and developing democracy should not be underestimated. There are various forms of public participation that are known in the literature. They range from general consultation, submission of comments to public institutions, to direct negotiations and interaction. In the South African Police Service, the notion and principles of public participation are embedded in a modern community policing approach. This approach was adopted by the South African Government post-1994. The concept Community Policing is generally about making policing more community-centred through the active engagement of community members in the affairs of the police. Community policing is multidimensional in addressing social problems such as crime and poverty. It also involves community empowerment to guide the community in addressing their own challenges. To give operational impetus to a community policing approach, Community Policing Forums (CPFs) have been established as a mechanism to foster public participation in general and active community engagement in policing matters in particular. The roles of CPFs are entrenched in national legislation and a comprehensive regulatory framework further guide the functioning of these structures. The functioning of these CPFs is, however, not without challenges. By following a qualitative case study design, this study investigated the particular challenges associated with public participation in the CPFs of the Tlokwe Local Municipality (TLM). The study has been conducted in the three police stations of TLM, namely Potchefstroom, Ikageng and Buffelshoek. The aim of this study was to present the need for the development of a comprehensive strategy to enhance public participation in CPFs in TLM. Such a strategy is suggested as main solution to address the variety of challenges identified. / MA (Public Management and Governance), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Before the historical democratic elections of 1994, South Africa did not have a culture of actively engaging communities in local government affairs. Democracy brought emphasis to transparency in municipal activities, and greater public accountability. It is legislated in South Africa that local governments should interact with communities in an endeavour to carry out the responsibilities of service delivery to ensure growth and development in a manner that promotes and enhances community participation and accountability. However, integrated municipal development planning, budgeting, local economic development projects, and various forms of municipal partnerships, are all issues which require effective community participation processes. Local government as a sphere government closest to the people is now expected to engage communities through exploring sustainable strategies as mechanisms which, within the context of this study, bring about effective public participation. In this regard, an effective, efficient, vibrant and innovative local government system that is accountable to local communities is of obvious importance. The local government has a key role to play in ensuring that people receive quality leadership and a sound and stable local democracy. Section 153 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 (Act 108 of 1996) spells out two important developmental duties of a municipality: * To structure and manage its administration and budget planning process so as to give priority to the basic needs of the community and to promote the environmental and socio-economic development of the community: and * To participate in national and provincial development programmes. The purpose of this study was to determine a variety of effective channels or mechanisms and processes for public participation in the integrated development planning (IDP) and budget process in the Tlokwe Local Municipality. It also focuses on the policy and legislative framework underpinning public participation in the IDP and budget processes. The study further considers that legislation requires that the IDP process of Tlokwe Municipality should structurally incorporate the voice of the community which will be affected by planning. The researcher used a qualitative method to determine how Tlokwe Local Municipality addresses the needs of the local community to enhance participatory democracy. The study established that there are a number of challenges facing the municipality which are barriers to effective participation. Several of these challenges relate to the poor and the marginalised groups which still have far too little influence in the affairs of the municipality. / Thesis (MA (Public Management and Governance))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013

Before the historical democratic elections of 1994, South Africa did not have a culture of actively engaging communities in local government affairs. Democracy brought emphasis to transparency in municipal activities, and greater public accountability. It is legislated in South Africa that local governments should interact with communities in an endeavour to carry out the responsibilities of service delivery to ensure growth and development in a manner that promotes and enhances community participation and accountability. However, integrated municipal development planning, budgeting, local economic development projects, and various forms of municipal partnerships, are all issues which require effective community participation processes. Local government as a sphere government closest to the people is now expected to engage communities through exploring sustainable strategies as mechanisms which, within the context of this study, bring about effective public participation. In this regard, an effective, efficient, vibrant and innovative local government system that is accountable to local communities is of obvious importance. The local government has a key role to play in ensuring that people receive quality leadership and a sound and stable local democracy. Section 153 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 (Act 108 of 1996) spells out two important developmental duties of a municipality: * To structure and manage its administration and budget planning process so as to give priority to the basic needs of the community and to promote the environmental and socio-economic development of the community: and * To participate in national and provincial development programmes. The purpose of this study was to determine a variety of effective channels or mechanisms and processes for public participation in the integrated development planning (IDP) and budget process in the Tlokwe Local Municipality. It also focuses on the policy and legislative framework underpinning public participation in the IDP and budget processes. The study further considers that legislation requires that the IDP process of Tlokwe Municipality should structurally incorporate the voice of the community which will be affected by planning. The researcher used a qualitative method to determine how Tlokwe Local Municipality addresses the needs of the local community to enhance participatory democracy. The study established that there are a number of challenges facing the municipality which are barriers to effective participation. Several of these challenges relate to the poor and the marginalised groups which still have far too little influence in the affairs of the municipality. / Thesis (MA (Public Management and Governance))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013