IPDs exposed to residents
ALEXANDRA – Residents exposed to area development planning process.
Alex residents returned home wiser on 17 March after attending a civil education exercise on the Joburg City Council’s Integrated Development Planning (IDP) process at East Bank Hall.
They were asked by the convener of the session, David Mawelewele, to share their knowledge with fellow residents leading up to the IDP meeting next month with Mayor Herman Mashaba, Speaker Vasco da Gama and other councillors in Marlboro.
Mawelewele said council had noticed that many were ignorant of the process, resulting in service delivery protests from the lack of knowledge of the distinction between IDPs and service delivery.
The IDPs he said, were five-year development plans drawn from project priorities for resourcing and implementation by the council in a five-year cycle. “The projects can be reviewed within this period if priorities change. The projects should be compiled through a bottom-up participatory process and not by officials whose expertise should be advisory when the plans are compiled,” he said adding that ward committees and councillors should clarify this process to residents to avoid confusion.
Service delivery, he added, relates to ongoing, recurrent programmes of service provision through rolling budgets. Mawelewele said protests were linked to their operation and maintenance and when the residents didn’t know the department responsible and who to contact.
He said, their involvement in the IDP process will also expose them to role players and the responsible persons to contact when experiencing challenges with service delivery so that they don’t misdirect their concerns and energies.
He further urged them to use the knowledge gained on the IDP process to take ownership of their area’s development. “You should identify and consult each other, even in small groups, before submitting identified projects to the formal ward structures for consideration and collation by councillors… before they are submitted to the regional planning process which you are also are free to attend.”
He urged them to include every project of importance, including outstanding ones from previous plans, and regional officials will assist to disintegrate and forward approved projects to the appropriate sphere of local government.
The residents would be informed of the responsible authority for the approved and budgeted projects to enable them to make necessary follow-ups.
They were also urged to speak with one voice when justifying their priorities. He advised guests that service delivery concerns should be channelled through the councillors, who should pass them on to the responsible officials. Mawelewele advised them if they are not satisfied with outcomes of their petitions, to approach the speaker who will engage the councillors for a solution.
Details: David Mawelewele 083 444 5486.
