Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The theme of this study is the practice of participatory democracy and its link to
local development. The context is the current policy trend to consider the local
authority as the core development agent. Governance is seen as a partnership
between civil society and local state authority. The mechanism for linking
democracy and development is the concept of integrated development planning.
This study investigates the integrity of the process of public participation as
reflected within integrated development planning. The democratic transition in
South Africa forms the backdrop of the study. South Africa, a relatively newly
formed democracy, has put legislation, political and social structures in place to
support the transformation it intended. The question that remains and that is
being researched in this study, is whether the lOP is a sincere attempt on the
side of the government to install authentic participation on the part of the local
community or is this another scheme for political expediency?
The study reflects the transition to democracy on social and political level and on all
levels of governance. In the case of local government, it describes the
transformation of the role of local government to that of development agent in its
jurisdiction of governance. A case study approach is used. The democratic
transition in the field of local government and its application in a specific rural
development region are selected as case material. The West Coast Development
Region, a demarcated development region of the Western Cape, has been chosen
as a testing ground for a number of reasons, but most importantly, because this
region has taken the lead to implement the newly passed policy of integrated
development planning in South Africa. The region also offered the most favorable
circumstances for the study as it has been subjected to systematic and sustained
development and capacity building inputs from the state since the elections in 1994.
These include capacity building of ROP forums and Spatial Development Initiative.
An empirical study of the process of public participation within the integrated development planning in this region was done after the first round of the process in
1997/1998. A group administered questiormaire is used to measure the knowledge
and attitudes of participants who attended the workshops that were held by the
local authority as medium of participation. Two measurements, one at the start of
the workshop and one at the end, provided comparable data on changes in
attitudes and levels of knowledge. The results indicated definite change in
knowledge levels, but did not impact significantly on the attitudes of participants.
The findings are presented here and form the basis of a wider study in local
democracy and development to be proposed. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die tema van hierdie studie is die praktyk van deelnemende demokrasie en die
verband met plaaslike ontwikkeling. Die konteks is die huidige beleidsrigting wat
die plaaslike owerheid as die sentrale ontwikkelingsagent beskou. Regering
word gesien as 'n vennootskap tussen die burgerlike gemeenskap en die
plaaslike staatsowerheid. Die meganisme om demokrasie en ontwikkeling met
mekaar te verbind, is die konsep van geintegreerde ontwikkelingsbeplanning.
Hierdie studie ondersoek die integriteit van publieke deelname soos dit
manifesteer in geintegreerde ontwikkelingsbeplanning. Die demokratiese
transformasie van Suid Afrika vorm die agtergrond van die studie. Suid Afrika, 'n
relatief nuutgevormde demokrasie, het wetgewing daar gestel om die
voorgenome demokratiese oorgang te ondersteun. Die vraag wat gevra en
ondersoek word in hierdie studie, is of die geintegreerde
ontwikkelingsbeplanning 'n opregte poging is om ware deelname aan die kant
van die gemeenskap te bewerkstellig of is hierdie nog 'n skema vir politieke
gewin. Die studie reflekteer die oorgang na 'n demokrasie op sosiale en politieke
vlak sowel as in alle vlakke van regering. In die geval van plaaslike regering,
word transformasie in die rol van die plaaslike owerheid na die van
ontwikkelingsagent in sy regsgebied beskryf. 'n Gevallestudie benadering word
gebruik. Die demokratiese oorgang op die gebied van plaaslike regering en die
toepassing daarvan in 'n spesifieke ontwikkelingstreek word gebruik as
gevallestudiemateriaal. Die Weskus Ontwikkelingstreek, 'n afgebakende
ontwikkelingstreek van die Wes-Kaap Provinsie is gekies as toetsingsgebied om
verskeie redes. Die belangrikste hiervan is omdat hierdie streek die leiding
geneem het om die nuutgeproklameerde wetgewing van geintegreerde
ontwikkelingsbeplanning in Suid Afrika te implimenteer. Die streek het ook die
mees gunstige omstandighede gebied vir die studie, aangesien dit sedert die
1994 verkiesing onderwerp is aan volgehoue en sistematiese ontwikkelings- en bemagtigende insette deur die staat. Dit sluit onder andere in
kapasiteitsbouprogramme vir HOP forums en 'n ruimtelike ontwikkelingsinisiatief.
'n Empiriese studie is gedoen oor die proses van publieke deelname in die
ge'integreerde ontwikkelingsbepanning in die streek kort na die voltooiing van die
eerste rondte daarvan in 1997/1998. 'n Groepgeadministreerde vraelys is
gebruik om die kennis en houdings van deelnemers wat werkswinkels bygewoon
het, te toets. Hierdie werkswinkels is deur die plaaslike owerheid gehou as
medium van deelname. Twee metings, een aan die begin en een aan die einde
van elke werkswinkel is geneem. Dit het vergelykbare data om veranderings in
kennis vlakke en houdings aan te dui, gebied. Die resultate het aangedui dat
daar defnitiewe veranderings in kennis plaasgevind het, maar dit het nie
beduidende verskil gemaak aan houdings van deelnemers nie. Die bevindinge
word hier aangebied en vorm die basis van 'n wyer studie in demokrasie en
ontwikkeling wat aanbeveel word.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/51672 |
| Date | 03 1900 |
| Creators | Smith, Antoinette Rachélle |
| Contributors | Groenewald, C. J., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. Dept. of Sustainable Development Planning and Management. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 93, 5 p. : ill. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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