Tesis sobre el tema "Political planning – Lesotho – Citizen participation"

Thesis (MPA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2003.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study was embarked upon to evaluate the contribution which World Vision as agent and catalyst of development has made towards addressing social issues in Lesotho. Specifically, the study evaluates Taung Area Development Programme which is one of the World Vision community development programmes established to improve social conditions in the rural communities particularly, in Tsoloane, Ha-Mopoane and Qhalasi. The study seeks to investigate three important areas; 1. Participation: to assess whether the communities have been involved in the planning of the projects, identified their own priorities for the projects or used their lands and other resources to exercise control over their economic, social and cultural development. 2. Empowerment: to assess how the projects have strengthened the capacity of local communities. This includes the transfer of skills through training for the purpose of equipping people to engage in their own development. 3. Sustainability: to assess the long-term viability of the projects. Data was gathered through the use of qualitative and quantitative data collection techniques. To conduct both methods a snowball technique was applied. The data gathered was tabulated in graphs and pie charts. The results were then discussed and analysed in terms of the aims of this research. Regarding participation, the findings of the study revealed that to a large extent people were able to participate in the planning of the projects. People were able to identify their objectives and make a decision to embark on Income Generating Activities (IGA) such as raising poultry and pigs, sewing, and making baskets, candles and soap. The IGA enabled project members to feed and earn income for their families. The study further revealed that while certain people were able to participate in the planning of their projects, in development activities such as the building of feeder roads, people’s participation was minimal. This blueprint and top down planning approach allowed for little public participation. The study also found that World Vision’s religious involvement was appreciated for the moral support it provided. Another important issue the study brought to light was that people had an opportunity to use their indigenous knowledge in their projects. Regarding empowerment, almost all the respondents believed that World Vision played an important role by training people to handle various activities within projects. Apart from the training given, people also acquired different skills and knowledge. Most of the respondents acquired technical and economic knowledge, while others became skilful in farming and health matters as well as in handcraft. Empowerment in the Taung Area Development Programme has also manifested itself through the improved living conditions of the local people. The study found that infrastructure such as schools and roads have been established. As regards primary health care, respondents indicated that they had access to clean water due to the presence of a community tap. HIV/AIDS awareness, disease prevention campaigns and the building of toilets have contributed to improved living conditions in the Taung Area Development Programme. Though HIV/AIDS awareness and disease prevention campaigns were essential for primary health care, few people were knowledgeable about deadly diseases such as HIV/AIDS. As a result there was still a need for World Vision to underpin the spread of HIV/AIDS awareness within the communities. Sustainability has been attributed to the long-term survival of the development projects and their future operation. The findings of this study confirmed that people in the Taung Area Development Programme were optimistic that the skills and knowledge they have acquired, and the projects themselves will generate resources and continue to operate after World Vision’s departure, especially with regard to IGA projects. The study results confirmed that people who mainly engaged in development activities such as at Qhalasi showed that they could only utilise their skills and knowledge to a small degree. The main conclusion reached by the study is that the Taung Area Development Programme as one of World Vision’s programmes has to a large extent transformed the lives of the local people. As a result of World Vision involvement in the Taung Area Development Programme, people-centred development is manifestly seen to promote the participation and empowerment of the people as well as the sustainability of the development projects.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van hierdie studie was om die bydrae wat World Vision as agent en katalisator van ontwikkeling gemaak het om sosiale kwessies in Lesotho aan te spreek te bepaal. Die studie, meer spesifiek evalueer die Taung Area Develoment Programme, wat een van World Vision se gemeenskapontwikkelingprogramme is wat gevestig is om maatskaplike toestande in landelike gebiede te bevorder veral in Tsoloane, Ha-Mopoane en Qhalasi. Die studie poog om drie belangrike areas te ondersoek; 1. Deelname: om te bepaal of gemeenskappe betrek was by die beplanning van die projekte, deur die identifikasie van hulle eie prioriteite vir die projekte, of die gebruik van hul grond en ander hulpmiddels om beheer oor hul eie ekonomiese, sosiale en kulturele ontwikkeling uit te oefen. 2. Bemagtiging: om vas te stel in watter mate die programme die kapasiteit van plaaslike gemeenskappe versterk het. Dit sluit in die oordrag van vaardighede deur opleiding, om mense toe te rus om in hulle eie ontwikkeling betrokke te raak. 3. Volhoubaarheid: om die langtermyn lewensvatbaarheid van die projekte te bepaal. Data is versamel deur die gebruik van kwalitatiewe en kwantitatiewe data-insamelingstegnieke. Om albei tegnieke uit te voer was die sneeubal steekproeftegniek toegepas. Die data wat versamel was, is in grafieke aangebied. Die resultate was daarna geanaliseer en bespreek in terme van hierdie studie se doelstellings. Met betrekking tot deelname, het die bevindings van die studie bewys dat die betrokke mense in ’n groot mate bevoeg was om deel te neem aan die beplanning van die projekte. Mense was bevoeg om doelwitte te identifiseer en besluite te neem om inkomste-genererende aktiwiteite (IGA) aan te pak. Die aktiwiteite het pluimvee en varkboerdery, naaldwerk, en die maak van mandjies, kerse en seep ingesluit. Die IGA het dit vir projeklede moontlik gemaak om kos en ’n inkomste vir hulle families te verdien. Die studie het verder vasgestel dat, afgesien van die feit dat sommige mense bevoeg was om aan die beplanning van hul projekte deel te neem, die deelname in ontwikkelingsprojekte soos die bou van toeganspaaie, minimaal was. Die tipiese “van bo na onder’’ voorskriftelike benadering tot beplanning het min geleentheid vir publieke deelname toegelaat. Die studie het ook bevesting dat die godsdienstige betrokkenheid van World Vision, weens die morele ondersteuning wat dit bied, hoog gewaardeer was. Nog ’n belangrike aspek wat die studie aan die lig gebring het, was dat die mense die kans gebied was om hul inheemse kennis in hul projeke aan te wend. Met betrekking tot bemagtiging, het feitlik al die respondente geglo dat World Vision ’n belangrike rol gespeel het om mense op te lei om veskeie aktiwiteite binne hul projekte uit te voer. Benewens die opleiding wat ontvang was, het die mense ook verskeie vaardighede en kennis opgedoen. Die meerderheid van die respondente het tegniese en ekonomiese kennis opgedoen, terwyl andere in landbou en gesondheidsaangeleenthede en ook handwerk vaardig geword het. Bemagtiging in die Taung Area Development Programme is ook deur die verbetering in die lewensomstandinghede van die plaaslike bevolking geopenbaar. Die studie het ook gevind dat die infrastruktuur met die bou van skole en paaie verbeter was. Met betrekking tot primêre gesondheid, het die respondente bevesting dat hulle toegang tot skoon water gekry het deur middel van ’n gemeenskaplike kraan. Veldtogte soos MIV/VIGS bewusmaking, voorkoming van siektes en die bou van toilette het tot verbeterde lewensomstandinghede in die Taung Area Development Programme bygedra. Afgesien van veldtogte soos MIV/VIGS en siektevoorkoming wat vir primêre gesondheidsorg belangrik is, beskik min mense kennis van dodelike siektes soos MIV/VIGS. Dit blyk dus dat World Vision meer klem sal moet lê op die verspreiding van kennis van MIV/VIGS binne die gemeenskappe. Die langtermyn oorlewing van die ontwikkelingsprojekte sal aan volhoubaarheid gekoppel moet word. Die bevindings van hierdie studie bevestig dat mense in die Taung Area Development Programme optimisties was dat die vaardighede en kennis wat hulle verkry het, en die projekte, selfhulpmiddels sal genereer wat nog in werking sal wees lank na die vertrek van World Vision, veral met betrekking tot die IGA projekte. Hierdie studie bevestig dat persone wat hoofsaaklik betrokke was by ontwikkelingsprojekte soos by Qhalasi, net tot ’n geringe mate hulle vaardighede en kennis kon gebruik. Die belangriskte slotsom wat hierdie studie bereik het was dat die Taung Area Development Programme, as een van die World Vision programme, in ’n groot mate die lewens van die plaaslike mense getransformeer het. As gevolg van World Vision se betrokkenheid in die Taung Area Development Programme, word mensgesentreerde ontwikkeling nou gesien as bevordelik vir die betrokkenheid en bemagtiging van die bevolking sowel as die volhoubaarheid van die ontwikkelingsprojekte.

 Public participation, as a form of direct democracy, is becoming increasingly popular in the government policy-making process in China. This thesis argues that public participation in China acts neither as a supplement to a well-founded democratic system, nor as an alternative to an electoral democracy, nor even as an effective accountability politico-legal institution. Instead, contemporary public participation is an interim measure that caters to an urgent social need and provides temporary legitimacy to the state. As such, it is the first step towards further political liberalization, for which it lays a foundation. The public participation system in China has developed from its original form as a solely state-led, political campaign-oriented system in the closed era to the coexistence of three ideal-type public participation in the open era: state-led, issue-specific participation, spontaneous, issue-specific, group-based participation and spontaneous, issue-specific, individual-based participation. Public hearing, corporate lobbying and e-participation can be correspondingly treated as representative mechanisms of the three ideal-type public participation in China. In addition, the institutions of open government information and judicial redress are currently the most significant support structures for this system. Relying on the methodologies of case studies, statutory interpretation, quantitative calculation and socio-legal analysis, the thesis finds that citizens can articulate their demands on policies in public hearings, but government organs are inclined to prevent any substantial challenge to their proposed policies. Although business groups have not been conferred with any special systematic opportunity to participate in the formulation of policy, corporate lobbying contributes towards undermining the government’s monopoly in the policy-making. Citizens in e-participation take full advantage of the flexibility and anonymity of the Internet to enjoy a free, low-risk space of debating government policies and monitoring government officials. Although the implementation of the Regulations on Open Government Information has been basically satisfactory, the Regulations have failed to establish the necessary transparency for public participation. What citizens seek in public participation litigations is not only judicial redress of their grievances, but, even more significantly, de facto influence on a policy-making process taking place outside the courtrooms. The public participation system as a whole in China has a paradoxical character in contextual, structural, functional and developmental aspects. Its essential defect is to fall short of a device that makes government policymakers accountable for the output of public participation. The public participation system is used by the state as a viable trajectory for its own legitimization to secure the formal validation of government policies and to reduce the risks that it confronts in the ongoing democratization process. It is used by citizens as a locus of their self-expression values and as an incubator of their developing citizenship, also providing a prompt channel for citizens’ rightful contest. The prospects of this system and its impacts on future legitimization of the state are ultimately underpinned by citizens’ struggles for liberty and democracy, but they are directly shaped by the state’s adaptive strategy.
published_or_final_version
Law
Master
Doctor of Legal Studies

As we find ourselves in the midst of a planetary trend towards urbanisation, we must acknowledge that urban spaces are linked in a network of metabolic consumption and production that impact not only those recognised as ‘urban dwellers’, but are incorporated into a global structure. Ireland is no exception, with development centred around Dublin, a ‘primate city’ with a vastly larger population than others in the region. Dublin’s Inner City areas have in recent decades been marked by a series of large-scale interventions aimed at reconstituting a new vision of Ireland as a global, modern city home to a tech-savvy workforce. Yet as Dublin explores its post-recession identity as a hub for investment in tech and finance, its urban population continues to grow in ways that are seen to disenfranchise existing Inner City communities. This study explores the perceptions of residents of Inner City Dublin engaged in urban planning processes, in the hopes of making manifest the goals and desires driving participation through various channels, both formal and ‘radical’. A case is made for the city as a site of a post-political condition by questioning the role and efficacy of official consultatory channels, as well as in contrasting held imaginaries presented by interviewees and those presented by official planning documents. Attempts by Dublin City Council to market Dublin as a ‘creative’ city, intent on monetising aspects of cultural identity as a global competitor intent on drawing investment and foreign talent is considered representative of post-politics, contrasted by urban residents’ desires to safeguard the existence of vibrant communities within the Inner City who now risk exclusion.

The new Constitution of Kenya has devolved a significant portion of public finances, powers and responsibilities to a new sub national level of government. Kenya now has 47 Counties, each with a County assembly, an elected Governor and an administration in charge of managing public resources and providing social services. Kenyan legal frameworks such as the Public Finance Management (PFM) Act and the County Government Act (CGA) as well as specific County government participation legislation obligate County governments to facilitate and promote citizen participation in the development of County plans, budgets and policies. This thesis shall show that despite legislative efforts furthering devolution and citizen participation, the law is not always implemented and does not always function well in some instances. There appears to be little improvement in overcoming challenges faced in citizen participation of previous decentralised funds through the Local Authority Service Delivery Action Plan (LASDAP). Elite capture, resource and capacity constraints, poor bureaucratic coordination, communication as well as a limited understanding by both local officials and citizens regarding the new roles and mechanisms for participation have not resulted in simplistic 'magic bullet’ reforms. This is further compounded by a lack of information, feedback on citizen inputs and poor implementation of public participation meetings and service delivery projects. A serious limitation in terms of access, meaningfulness and inclusiveness has resulted in citizens not making use of or taking up participation opportunities. Citizens are thus opting for alternative and more effective strategies of engaging and influencing local government processes. The thesis will also show that although legislation acknowledges and provides a role for civil society to partner with government in jointly facilitating effective citizen participation in public policy; the partnership between local government and civil society does not automatically translate into effective partnerships because of poor civic capacity, unequal power dynamics, and unclear and insufficient guidelines with regards to representation.

This study focused on community participation in relation to policy formulation in Lesotho. It paid particular attention to whether the Lesotho community participated in the formulation of the Lesotho Land Bill 2009. Literature related to the concept of participatory development, community participation and policy formulation was reviewed. From the literature, it was clear that the attainment of effective community participation in policy formulation is not something that can take place overnight and this makes community participation a crucial aspect of any development project. The study used the qualitative approach to provide more information and detailed examination of community participation in the formulation of the Lesotho Land Bill 2009. This approach adopted the case study design. The data was collected using focus groups, interview schedule and document analysis. The study found that the government did not consult widely on the Bill before it was enacted into an Act of parliament. Therefore, it recommends that the government of Lesotho should involve all relevant stakeholders to participate in policy formulation. This will help to establish a link between the government and civil society stakeholders at local levels, for participatory policy-making to be effective.

Replacement of traditional land administration institutions with modern institutions has been one of the strategies used by the Lesotho Government to solve land management problems. This thesis uses a case study approach to analyze the effectiveness of one modern institution, the Village Land Allocation Committees (VLAC), at the community level in Lesotho. Customarily, land in Lesotho was allocated by traditional chiefs who could for various purposes revoke it. The system was allegedly open to abuse and under the Land Act 1979, the authority to allocate land was shifted from traditional chiefs to the VLAC, which is partly elected and partly nominated by the government. The thinking behind this change was that VLAC would be more democratic and efficient, representing local as well as national interests. The study consists of three stages: a) review of background literature on Lesotho; b) a comparison of land tenure reforms in Tanzania, Kenya and Botswana; and c) field research carried out through questionnaires administered to VLAC members, community members and government officials responsible for land administration at the community level in Lesotho. Conclusions drawn from this study are that lack of clear policy guidelines, lack of connection between land allocation and the overall planning and lack of meaningful community participation in the land allocation process, are among the major problems in the operation of VLAC. The study's major recommendations are: a) integrating land allocation with the overall land use planning; b) recognizing the continuing influence of traditional institutions and incorporating them into VLAC activities; c) providing VLAC with clearer goals and necessary resources; and d) building a planning and evaluation component into VLAC procedures. The need for further research on the composition and election process of VLAC is identified.
Applied Science, Faculty of
Community and Regional Planning (SCARP), School of
Graduate

Community participation is relevant to every sector of development, for example, education, health, housing, water and sanitation, agricultural development and conservation. The assumption is that public participation is positive in that it can contribute to making programmes more sustainable. Public participation in local government processes, especially in the Integrated Development Plan, is imperative to the promotion of institutional democracy. The Integrated Development Plan as a development tool promotes participatory democracy. This public participation study of the Integrated Development Plan in the City of Cape Town was conducted in four sub-council areas of the city to determine whether public participation was successful and whether the objectives of local government are being met.

Contemporary debates about development confer a prominent role to citizen participation and decentralization. Growing scepticism about the efficacy of narrowly conceived measures add pressure to reform development both theoretically and in practical terms. There is a greater understanding that ‘traditional’ development approaches and policies need to be reformulated and decentralization and citizen participation have been proposed as remedies to previous development failures. It is frequently argued that citizen participation will improve the efficiency and efficacy of public services. Citizen participation is meant to render local government more accountable and to contribute to deepening democracy, by reinforcing representative democratic institutions with participatory forms. At the same time, decentralization reforms have been proposed as a response to the failures of highly centralized states. From a political perspective, it is argued, decentralization reforms can help the central state gain legitimacy and have been seen as a strategy for maintaining political stability. It has been repeatedly suggested that physical proximity makes it easier for citizens to hold local officials accountable for their performance. From an economic perspective, decentralization can improve the match between the mix of services provided by the public sector and the preferences of the local population. It has also been noted that people are more willing to pay for services that respond to their priorities and that increased competition between local governments generates spaces for more creative responses adapted to local needs. But then, can decentralization and citizen participation live up to the faith and expectations that they have inspired? I argue that the literature commonly over-emphasises the role of citizen participation and decentralization in development and what these processes and reforms can achieve. Much of the evidence is anecdotal in nature and tends to neglect the specific contexts in which these processes take place. Also largely ignored are political economy considerations and a critical exploration of the relationship between these two key words. At best, when their interrelationships are addressed decentralization and citizen participation are conceived as based on a symbiotic relationship. I suggest, however, that the relationship between these two processes is not as straightforward as most of the literature assumes. The meanings of these two key words in current development lexicon are explored and critically assessed. I argue that whether or not the rising prominence of these two words actually means the emergence of a new development agenda is a moot point. It critically depends on the understandings of these ambiguous terms. The thesis adopts a political economy approach. Combined with this is an awareness of the broader historical and socio-economic context in which citizen participation and decentralization take place. The thesis applies these ideas triangulating diverse research methods and data sources. It combines a literature review and documentary analysis, a survey conducted with municipal authorities and civil society organizations in the Eastern Cape as well as structured interviews with Ward councillors and with key informants. From a theoretical perspective, the study lays a foundation for understanding the relationship between development policies outcomes and the nature of citizen participation and decentralization in developing countries. This, in turn, provides a basis from which citizen participation and decentralization in South Africa can be assessed and understood. The thesis presents evidence from a case study of the Eastern Cape, South Africa. By revealing how different dimensions of decentralization and citizen participation operate and intersect, the findings demonstrate, that contrary to common knowledge, citizen participation and decentralization are frequently at odds. Moreover, contrary to frequent statements, the research also shows that opening new spaces for participation in decentralized local governance can result in fewer changes and disappointing results at best, undermining the transformative potential of the concepts of participation and decentralization.

Since the mid 1970s there has been an increasing effort to adopt community participation as a necessary instrument for people driven development. NGOs and governments have come to use this participatory approach not only to empower local people, but also to give them a platform to plan and implement their own development projects. However in Zimbabwe, the government has failed to fund most projects and it has created a gap for NGOs to provide most, if not all services in rural communities. NGOs have been seen as better institutions to facilitate development projects and to engage local people to actively participate in development issues. Community participation is a central component in development projects as the projects respond to the people’s needs and that local people are in full control and ownership of these projects. This study is an assessment of community participation in NGO development projects in Zimbabwe. The study investigates the extent of community participation in development projects and it is guided by the Participatory Development (PD) theory. Research findings reveal that community participation is minimal in development projects of Bulilima and Mangwe districts in Zimbabwe. Local people are just passive participants of the development projects who are told what to do. The local people’s contributions and influences are sidelined in the planning and decision-making processes; instead these are made by the rural elite who plan and make decisions on behalf of the local people. It is the view of this study that the purpose of community participation is to create opportunities for local people to participate in planning, decision making, implementation, allocation and distribution of resources. The development projects should be responsive to the people’s needs. Similarly, participatory development just like community participation is a process whereby communities are given the opportunity to determine their future in terms of their needs and resources. In this regard, it is relevant that rural communities actively participate in planning, decision making, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of development projects. By so doing, the projects become not only successful but also sustainable.

Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, in Chapter 7, requires all municipalities to encourage members of the public to participate in the matters of local government. Public participation is the process by which public concerns, needs, and values are integrated into governmental and corporate decision making. The Integrated Development Plan is an example of local government instruments which seek public participation in order to address community needs through service delivery. Consequently, this study was to explore the role of public participation in the Integrated Development Planning process of the Chris Hani District Municipality. The main objectives of this study were to understand the IDP making process, establish the importance of public participation, understand the role played by the municipality to encourage public participation in the IDP processes, understand the influence of IDP in service delivery and to make recommendations based on the findings presented. To conduct this study, qualitative research methodology was employed. The population sample comprised of councillors and municipal officials. Structured interviews were conducted with the councillors, while semi-structured interviews were held with municipal officials. The findings of the study revealed that the Chris Hani District Municipality views public participation as an integral part of the IDP making process. Measures and strategies are taken by the municipality to enhance public involvement in all matters of the municipality, including the IDP process. To achieve this the municipality partners with a number of stakeholders such as the local municipalities, government departments and organised groups. However, this is not enough hence recommendations are presented to improve this situation. Recommendations proposed include introducing capacity building programmes for councillors, establishment of a public participation unit, availing budget for public participation and educating members of the public about public participation and the IDP process.

The public's demands for increased involvement in resource management planning and decision making emphasize the need to understand public participation and the practical aspects of its application. This thesis sets out to analyse the process of public participation in one case study, focusing in on those who participated directly in the public participation program. The effectiveness of this application is examined and compared to the general experience of public participation in Canada. Special emphasis is placed on discovering whether or not effective public participation produces support for resource management strategies. The study takes place within the context of the Kalamalka Lake Public Participation Program developed by the Ministry of Environment and Parks, Province of British Columbia. This research has pointed out the necessity for: knowing what the public feels about management plans, communicating to the public an agency's objectives, pointing out how an agency's management plans are developed to achieve those objectives, opening the process for the public to participate in finalizing management plans, and communicating detailed, final plans to the public within a reasonable timeframe. The purpose of this research is to see how selected components of public participation affect the development of public support for park management strategies. Public participation is a part of the theory of participatory democracy. It can be included in the present system of representative democracy, and result in a stronger, more stable system of government than exists today. The Bargaining Process Model of public participation is preferred to the Upward Forming Consensus Model because it provides the public with access to the administrators on decisions which directly affect the public. Access is provided through pressure groups which are authorized to participate in the decision making process. Connor's New Ladder, modified to include the public at the joint planning team level, is the most complete and integrated set of public participation methodologies available. The public needs to be brought into the initial stages of the planning process as a partner equal to 'experts'. Ongoing, independent evaluation of public participation programing is necessary for an effective process of public participation to develop. The challenge is to determine which issues require inputs from the public, what segments of the public should be consulted, and how the necessary inputs can be obtained most effectively It is this challenge which forms the research base for this paper and which is directly reflected in these three components of the broad objective (discussed in Chapter I); park issues, social-economic characteristics of the local public, and communication methods. The fourth component is 'the attitudes of the public and park personnel towards each other'. In this component, support of park management strategies is considered a part of the attitudes and perceptions of the public and the agency towards each other. Perceptions and attitudes are investigated as indicators of a successful public participation program and of public support for management strategies. Public participation in Canada at the Federal and Provincial Parks level is a part of the Upward Forming Consensus Model of Public Participation. The public was informed and consulted, but not allowed to advise or consent. In the case of Parks Canada's Four Mountain Parks Planning Process, the importance of distributing clear information to the public and identifying where the public input influenced the final decisions was emphasized. Kalamalka Lake Provincial Park is located on the North East shore of Kalamalka Lake and four kilometers South of the City of Vernon in the province of British Columbia. Steep hills covered by grass and rock outcroppings with some pine forests interspersed with a large network of lakes characterize the area. The name Kalamalka is a Polynesian word thought to mean lake of many colors. Many of the original settlers were British and they have had a strong influence on the social and cultural development of this area. When it was learnt that a major resort and residential development was planned for the land which is now Kalamalka Park, an intense public outcry led by the North Okanagan Naturalist Club resulted in the land being purchased from Coldstream Ranch for a provincial park in August of 1975. The preparation of a master plan for Kalamalka Lake Provincial Park was to be guided by the issues, concerns and proposals received through an open planning process. Public meetings were organized and public comments received. The Parks Branch formulated four alternative plans (concept 1 - 4) and the public voiced their choice through concerns sheets, letters, briefs and petitions. Concept one or two was preferred by the majority (78%) of the public. After a five year delay an advisory committee was set up (1983) to approve a plan for park development. The next year the Advisory Committee presented their report and park development began. The park was opened two years later (1986). Respondents were identified and interviewed about the sequence of events surrounding the Kalamalka Lake Public Participation Program. The purpose of using focused interviews in this research is to evaluate what did or did not work and why. This technique is used to explain behavior and is a valuable indicator of what might occur in similar situations. There were 9 personal interviews and 22 telephone interviews for a total of 31. This research has pointed out the necessity for: - knowing what the public feels about management plans - communicating to the public an agency's objectives - explaining how an agency's management plans are developed to achieve those objectives - opening the process for the public to participate in finalizing management plans - communicating detailed, final plans to the public within a reasonable timeframe The benefits of an effective public participation program are: - less controversy - better overall management plans - active public support
Forestry, Faculty of
Graduate

Thesis (MPA (School of Public Management and Planning))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009.
Globally participatory democracy is viewed as essential to ensure a high level of legitimacy, contribute to empowerment and strengthen democracy. Although South Africa is a representative democracy, it also adheres to the principles of participatory democracy as Parliament and the nine Provincial Legislatures are constitutionally mandated to elicit public participation in its decision-making and policy processes. This study’s main aim is to determine whether the public participation strategies employed in the South African legislative sector at present are effective and enhance decision-making and policy processes. Following a discussion of the theoretical context and rationale for public participation, a limited international perspective on public participation was given. The study proceeded to explore the application of public participation in the local South African context with specific focus on the legislative environment. In order to provide evidence in support of the research statement an investigation was done on the current state of public participation in the South African legislative environment. Responses from a semi-structured questionnaire on public participation in the South African legislative context were processed into a comparative table to obtain an overall picture of the legislative sector. From the findings it is clear that there are many positive factors and innovative ideas in place across the legislative sector, yet the weaknesses still far outweigh the strengths.

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2001.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: South Africans are familiar with apartheid principles and practices. Apartheid principles were not only used as a mechanism that robbed people of their human rights, but it also gave rise to limited or no community participation in government decision-making. South Africa's democratic regime (after 1994) is striving to increase community participation in government decision-making. In this regard, the South African national government is initiating community development policies and programmes such as the Reconstruction and Development Programme (1994), Masakhane programme (1998) and Integrated Development Planning (1997). This research focuses on Integrated Development Planning (lOP) and local government's role in stimulating community participation. Various participation models are highlighted, and the Wellington case is used to illustrate that communities will participate optimally in development activities if their participation will bring about their own empowerment. The research methodology includes interviews, television news programmes, newspaper articles and focus group sessions. Responses from the focus group interviews indicated that the community is easy-going and they expect activities to be undertaken for them. It was also noted that meaningful mechanisms for enhancinq community participation are limited. The community-empowerment model and recommendations are presented to optimise community participation. The following recommendations are made, namely accessibility of development initiatives, mobilising the community, relevant administrative skills of public officials, democratic constitution and legislation, concrete policy relating to community participation, meaningful empowerment of the community, explaining the content of concepts, programmes and projects, training for public officials, awareness of policy implications with regards to community participation and municipal planning in co-operative government.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Suid-Afrikaners is vertroud met apartheidsbeginsels en praktyke. Apartheidsbeginsels is nie net as 'n meganisme gebruik om groepe van hul menseregte te ontneem nie, maar dit het ook aanleiding gegee tot gebrekkige of geen gemeenskapsdeelname in owerheidsbesluitneming. Suid-Afrika se demokratiese regeringstelsel (na 1994) streef daarna om gemeenskapsdeelname in owerheidsbesluitneming te verhoog. Binne hierdie hoedanigheid het die nasionale regering gemeenskapsontwikkelingsbeleide en programme soos die Heropbou-en Ontwikkelingsprogram (1994), Masakhane-program (1988) en GeTntegreerde Ontwikkelingsbeplanning (1997) daargestel. Die navorsing fokus op Ge"integreerde Ontwikkelingsbeplanning (GOB), en plaaslike owerhede se rol ten opsigte van die stimulering van gemeenskapsdeelname. Verskeie deelname-modelle word uitgelig en aan die hand van die Wellington-geval, word aangetoon dat gemeenskappe optimaal sal deelneem aan ontwikkelingsaktiwiteite indien hul deelname sal bydra tot hul eie bemagtiging. Die navorsingsmetodologie sluit in onderhoude, televisie-nuusprogramme, koerantartikels en fokusgroep-sessies. Terugvoering van die fokusgroeponderhoude dui aan dat die gemeenskap gemaksugtig is en verwag dat aktiwiteite vir hulle onderneem word. Daar is waargeneem dat betekenisvolle meganismes om gemeenskapsdeelname te optimaliseer gebrekkig was. Die kommunikasie-bemagtigingsmodel en aanbevelings word aangebied ten einde gemeenskapsdeelname te optimaliseer. Die volgende aanbevelings word gemaak naarnlik, toeganklikheid van ontwikkelingsinisiatiewe; mobilisering van die gemeenskap; relevante administratiewe vaardighede van openbare amptenare; demokratiese grondwet en beleide; konkrete beleide rakende gemeenskapsdeelname; betekenisvolle bemagtiging van die gemeenskap; verduideliking van die inhoud van konsepte, programme en projekte, opleiding van amptenare; bewuswording van beleidsimplikasies rakende gemeenskapsdeelname en munisipale beplanning in 'n samewerkende regering.

Thesis (MA (Public and Development Management))-- University of Stellenbosch, 1995.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study assesses public participation in public policy making by way of a case study approach. The Regional Education Boards and the Regional Services Council form part of the case study evaluation of public participation in public policy making. In essence, a structural-functionalist analysis of the two cases is given. From this approach this study points out what the activities of the two institutions are, what services they render and the policy measures with which they are engaged in. This is imperative because by way of an analysis, the extent to which the public is allowed to participate in the policy making process, with reference to the two institutions, is determined. Before the assessment of the two cases a conceptual framework pertaining to public participation in public policy making is given. In this conceptual framework the different typologies, policy levels, participants and the modes of public participation in public policy making are highlighted. In earlier years public participation in public policy making was simply seen as being confined to voting turn-out. As the study of public policy making expanded the operational definition of public participation was broaden to include activities such as campaigning, handing petitions to members of parliament, attending political meetings, writing letters to communication media, written representations submitted to a minister and protest action. Thus, as the study of public policy making expanded it became clear that separate participation modes exist because the activities which emanates from the implementation of public policy differ systematically in the requirements it place on the citizens. What is significant of this thesis is that it proposed a nine-point criteriological model for effective participation in public policy making. Each criterium is analyzed in depth and it is indicated how important it is for effective public participation in public policy making.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie bepaal publieke deelname in openbare beleidmaking by wyse van 'n setwerklike benadering. Die Onderwysstreekrade en die Streekdiensterade vorm deel van hierdie evaluering van publieke deelname in openbare beleidmaking. Vir hierdie benadering word 'n strukturieel - funksionele uiteensetting van die werkswyse en beleidsmaatreëls van die twee instansies gegee. Hierdie uiteensetting is belangrik omrede, deur middel van 'n analise, daar bepaal word tot watter mate die publiek deel uitmaak van die beleidmakingsproses ten opsigte van die twee instansies. Voor die uiteensetting van die setwerklike benadering word 'n raamwerk met betrekking tot die konsepte wat van toepassing is op publieke deelname in openbare beleidmaking, gegee. In hierdie raamwerk word die verskillende tipologieë, beleidsvlakke, deelnemers en die verskillende maniere van publieke deelname in die openbare beleidmakingsproses, uitgebeeld. In vroeër jare was publieke deelname in openbare beleid gesien as bloot deelname aan verkiesings. Namate die studie van openbare beleid uitgebrei het, het die operasionele definisie van publieke deelname groter geword om aktiwiteite soos petisies aan parlementslede, bywoning van politieke vergaderings, briewe aan kommunikasiemedia, geskrewe voorleggings aan ministers en protesaksies in te sluit. Dit het derhalwe duidelik geword dat daar verskillende maniere is betreffende publieke deelname omrede die aktiwiteite wat vloei uit die implementering van openbare beleid in verskillende gemeenskappe, verskillend is. Wat die studie merkwaardig maak is dat dit 'n nege-punt kriteriologiese model vir effektiewe publieke deelname in die openbare beleidmakingsproses voorstel. Elke kriteria word in diepte geanaliseer en dit word uitgewys hoe belangrik dit vir effektiewe publieke deelname in die openbare beleidmakingsproses is.

Since 1994, the South African local government has been obligated to consult with its citizenry in respect of the processes of relating to service delivery. The South African Government has developed a wide range of legislation that ensures that communities are consulted on a continuous basis with regard to how services need to be rendered. Communities have a right to be consulted and to give input into issues affecting them. Public consultation as envisaged in the South African legislation has, however, not yielded the desired results which is evident in the spate of service delivery protests over poor or non service delivery. Therefore, this study seeks to analyse the effectiveness and efficiency of pubic consultation in the Northern Areas of the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality. The researcher used qualitative research methods since it would provide the reader with more insight into how public consultation is implemented in the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality. The communities, senior municipal officials, and councillors have been interviewed in a structured manner and a content analysis has been made of the minutes of the ward committees in the Northern Areas, the annual reports of the Municipality’s Oversight Committee and a range of other reading material. A number of findings has been made during this research project with the most pertinent being the non-compliance to certain sections of legislation by the Municipality. The communities in the Northern Areas generally felt that efficient and effective public consultation would reduce the number of service delivery protests in that part of the Municipality. A number of interventions need to be made by the political leadership with regard to public consultation and more resources need to be committed towards those processes.

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.

This case study seeks to examine citizen participation in urban planning by closely examining The purpose of this case study is to examine how citizen participation has worked in the planned construction project on Hammarby in Västerås and the effects the citizen participation has had. The theoretical framework of the study is rational and collaborative planning theory and a combination of Arnstein’s ladder of citizen participation and SKR’s participation stair. The method used for the study is a combination of semi structured qualitative interviews and asynchronous interviews. The parties that the study examines include politicians from byggnadsnämnden, officials from stadsbyggnadsförvaltningen and citizens from Hammarby stadsdelsförening. The findings of this study are that all respondents were positive towards the concept of citizen participation from a theoretical point of view but that the dialog between the city and the citizens did not work as intended. However, the citizens did have a major influence in cancellation and subsequent rework of local plan 1858. It was apparent that the citizens favoured one form of citizen dialogue while the city favoured another. The citizens wanted a more deliberate approach to citizen dialogue while the politicians and officials favoured an approach based on rational planning theory. Put simply the citizens wanted the dialogues to take place in a larger forum while the politicians wanted to split the meetings into smaller groups to get a wider variety of comments from the citizens.
Syftet med fallstudien är att undersöka hur medborgardeltagandet fungerade vid det planerade bygget på stadsdelen Hammarby i Västerås samt då vilken effekt den förda medborgardialogen hade. Studiens teoretiska anknytning är rationellt och kommunikativ planeringsteori samt en kombination utav Arnsteins deltagarstege samt SKR:s deltaktighetstrappa. Metoden som har används i undersökningen är en kombination utav semistrukturerade kvalitativa intervjuer samt asynkroniska intervjuer. Aktörerna som medverkat i undersökningen är politiker från byggnadsnämnden, en tjänsteman ifrån stadsbyggnadsförvaltningen samt medborgare ifrån Hammarby stadsdelsförening. Undersökningens slutsats är att samtliga respondenter var positivt inställda till medborgardeltagande ur ett teoretiskt perspektiv men främst dialogen mellan medborgare och Västerås Stad fungerade däremot inte på ett önskvärt sätt. Medborgarna hade däremot stort inflytande i och med att detaljplan 1858 lades på is och numera omarbetas. Det var däremot tydligt att medborgare förespråkade en typ av medborgardialog medan politikerna och tjänstemannen föredrog en annan. Medborgarna ville ha en mer kommunikativ och deliberativ dialog medan politikerna och tjänstemannen i större omfattning drevs utav den rationella planeringsteorin. I mer konkret bemärkelse så ville medborgarna att medborgardialogerna skulle bedrivas i betydligt större forum medan politiker och tjänstemannen föredrog att dialogen skulle föras i mindre grupper för att på sådant sätt kunna samla in en större bredd i medborgarens synpunkter.

Thesis (MPA)--Stellenbosch University, 2011.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: A public meeting is one of the strategies for public participation outlined by the International Association for Public Participation (IAP2). It is a strategy that is commonly used, but tends to yield poor outcomes. Its purpose is often misunderstood and it is therefore used as a “soft” public participation option that hastens the project at hand. However, it can be a most effective strategy if it is used correctly. Its intended outcome should be to create an interest in public participation within the community, especially when it comes to community-based development. The public should be left empowered and be given scope to influence, direct and own each and every development within its community. In this study the Khayamandi community has been used as a case study. It became apparent that at Khayamandi public meetings are not used correctly as a public participation strategy, and hence the public often felt left out of developments that took place in the community. Even though there are clear constitutional/legislative guidelines on public participation, Khayamandi has not yet achieved the required level of authentic and empowering public participation. In the light of the model developed in this study for public participation that empowers communities, it is evident that public participation at Khayamandi is at a level of tokenism, where information is shared with the public but the public is not expected to participate fully in the developmental agenda. The Khayamandi community, the local municipality and the developers will have to take steps jointly in order to meet the constitutional/legislative requirement on public participation. The ideal level at which the Khayamandi community needs to be is that of citizen power, where the public becomes a change agent and assumes the role of influencing, directing and taking ownership of its own development. This study has adopted a qualitative research paradigm. Interviews and rating-scale questionnaires (on the basis of a probability sampling), focus group and observation are the tools used to collect primary data. This study follows an evaluative research design, which aims at answering the question of whether an intervention, a programme or a strategy has been successful or effective. One of the major recommendations is that the public participation model which has been developed be used by the Khayamandi community in order for the public to be empowered and have the scope to influence, direct and own community-based development and decision-making processes. The public should make use of this model for optimal results. If the public participation strategy is used correctly, Khayamandi can be in a position to achieve the appropriate level of citizen power. Once that happens, the impact on integrated community-based development and decision-making processes will be positive, with improved service delivery as a consequence.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: ’n Publieke vergadering is een van die strategieë vir publieke deelname soos omlyn deur die Internasionale Assosiasie vir Publieke Deelname (IAP2). Dit is ’n strategie wat algemeen gebruik word, maar dit neig om ‘n swak uitkoms te lewer. Die doel daarvan word dikwels verkeerd verstaan, en gevolglik word dit gebruik as ’n niksseggende openbare deelname-opsie wat die gang van die voorgenome projek versnel. Dit kan egter een van die mees doeltreffende strategieë wees as dit korrek toegepas word. Die beoogde uitkoms behoort te wees om belangstelling in publieke deelname binne die gemeenskap aan te wakker, veral waar dit gemeenskapsgebaseerde ontwikkeling betref. Die publiek behoort daardeur bemagtig gelaat en geleentheid gegee te word om ieder en elke ontwikkeling binne die gemeenskap te beïnvloed, te bestuur en te eien. In hierdie studie is die gemeenskap van Khayamandi as studie-onderwerp gebruik. Dit het geblyk dat publieke vergaderings in Khayamandi nie korrek as ’n openbare deelnamestrategie gebruik word nie, daarom voel die publiek dikwels uitgesluit uit ontwikkelings wat in die gemeenskap plaasgevind het. Alhoewel daar duidelike grondwetlike/wetgewende riglyne oor publieke deelname is, het Khayamandi nog nie die gewensde vlak van egte en bemagtigende openbare deelname bereik nie. Beoordeel volgens die model wat in hierdie studie ontwikkel is vir openbare deelname wat gemeenskappe bemagtig, is dit duidelik dat openbare deelname in Khayamandi op ‘n simboliese vlak is waar inligting aan die gemeenskap gegee word, maar die publiek word nie verwag om ten volle aan die ontwikkelingsagenda deel te neem nie. Die gemeenskap van Khayamandi, die plaaslike munisipaliteit en die ontwikkelaars sal gesamentlik stappe moet neem om die grondwetlike/wetgewende voorskrifte omtrent publieke deelname na te kom. Die ideale vlak waarop die gemeenskap van Khayamandi behoort te wees, is dié van burgerlike mag, waar die publiek die agent van verandering word en die rol aanvaar om sy eie ontwikkeling te beïnvloed, te bestuur en te eien. Hierdie studie het ’n kwalitatiewe navorsingsparadigma nagevolg. Onderhoude en vraelyste met ‘n assesseringskaal (volgens ‘n waarkynlikheidsteekproef), ’n fokusgroep en waarneming is metodes wat gevolg is om primêre data in te samel. Hierdie studie volg ’n evalueringsnavorsingsplan, wat ten doel het om die vraag te beantwoord of ’n ingryping, ’n program of ’n strategie suksesvol of effektief was. Een van die hoofaanbevelings is dat die publiekedeelnamemodel wat ontwikkel is, deur die gemeenskap van Khayamandi gebruik word, sodat die publiek bemagtig word en geleentheid het om gemeenskapsgebaseerde ontwikkelings- en besluitnemingsprosesse te bestuur, te eien en te beïnvoeld. Die publiek behoort hierdie model vir optimale resultate te gebruik. As die publiekedeelnamestrategie korrek gebruik word, kan Khayamandi in staat wees om die gepaste vlak van burgerlike mag te bereik. Sodra dit gebeur, sal die impak op geïntegreerde gemeenskapsgebaseerde ontwikkeling en besluitnemings-prosesse positief wees, met verbeterde dienslewering as gevolg.

Thesis (MPA (School of Public Management and Planning))--University of Stellenbosch, 2005.
Soon after independence in 1964 the Malawi government made an attempt to decentralise some of its activities through the creation of district development committees. However, in practice local-level institutions were not fully operational as the one-party system of government (led by the Malawi Congress Party) tended to manipulate the autonomy and operations of these institutions. Accordingly, there was no manifestation of local participation and representation. The period of one-party rule in Malawi came to an end in 1994 with the introduction of multi-party democracy. The new government revitalised the idea of decentralised governance by passing the Local Government Act of 1998, which saw the establishment of local assemblies. Thus officially Malawi has a very supportive system in relation to citizen participation and representation through decentralised local institutions. However, in practice, there is no clear evidence that this is actually being realised. Consequently, this study was undertaken to examine the role of party politics on local participation and representation. The study was conducted in three district local assemblies of Malawi ...

Thesis (MPA (School of Public Management and Planning))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009.
The concept of public participation has gained wider acceptance in government circles as a tool to strengthen the pillars of this government’s democratic structures. Globally, governments’ accountability can be gauged by the extent to which they practise public participation in decision-making in facing up to the challenges of the day. The concept of public participation arrived in South Africa in the 1980s and was supposedly applied to the inception of a true democratic dispensation in 1994. In the South African context, public participation cannot be over-emphasised as it underpins the democracy introduced in 1994. Because of the great importance of public participation, the South African government has enacted a number of statutes such as the Constitution (1996) and the Municipal Structures Act (2000) that give substance to public participation. Even though public participation is applied at national and provincial government levels in South Africa, it is principally in the Local Government field where it is widely applied in order to enable good governance and sustainable service delivery. This study examines the role of ward committees in public participation in Local Government, with specific reference to Thulamela Municipality. The study suggests that the transformation and democratisation of South African Local Government can be achieved through effective implementation of public participation at grassroots level. Apart from passing legislation, more needs to be done to stimulate public participation. The study has furthermore found that even though statutes provide for communities to participate in a range of government-created regulatory structures such as the IDP Representative Forums and Ward Committees, municipalities need to develop strategies for public participation. Not only do municipalities need to develop strategies for public participation, they also need to develop proper mechanisms to encourage the participation of community stakeholders and organisations. The study is primarily based on qualitative data collected from Thulamela Municipality through personal interviews with councillors, officials and ward committee members. Moreover, the study also rests on observations at IDP Representative Forums, IDP and Budget consultative meetings, focus group discussions and a review of local government statutes and literature providing knowledge on the subject under study.

Following the Civil War, the American government greatly expanded the opportunities available for private businessmen and investors in an effort to rapidly colonize the West. This expansion of private commerce led to the second industrial revolution in which railroads and the corporation became the symbols and tools of a rapidly modernizing nation. It was also during this period that the responsibility of food distribution was released from municipal accountability and institutions like public markets began to fade from the American urbanscape. While the proliferation of private grocers greatly aided many metropolises' rapid growth, they did little to secure a sustainable and desirable form of food distribution. During the decades before and after the turn of the century, public market campaigns began to develop in response to the widespread abandonment of municipal food distribution.

Like many western cities, Portland, Oregon matured during the second half of the nineteenth century and lacked the historical and social precedent for the construction of a public market. Between 1851 and 1914, residents of Portland and its agricultural hinterland fought for the construction of a municipally-owned public market rallying against the perceived harmful and growing influences of middlemen. As a result of their efforts, the Carroll Public Market was founded on the curbsides of Yamhill Street in downtown Portland. While success encouraged multiple expansions and an increasingly supportive consumer base, a growing commitment to modernist planning among city officials and the spread of automobile ownership determined the market to be incompatible with the commercial future of Portland.

In an effort to acknowledge and capitalize on the Carroll Public Market's community, a group of investors, incorporated as the Portland Market Company, worked with city officials between 1926 and 1934 to create the largest public market in the United States, the Portland Public Market. As the first building of the newly constructed waterfront development, many believed the massive institution would reinvigorate nearby businesses and ultimately influence the potential of the downtown business district. The Portland Public Market was decidedly distinct from the market along Yamhill and the promoters cast it as such. By utilizing the most modern technologies and promises of convenience there was little that the two organizations shared in common. In the end, the potential of the waterfront market was never fulfilled and amidst legal scandals, an ongoing struggle to meet operating costs, and the success of a rebellious Farmers Cooperative, it shut down after nine years.

This thesis discusses these two public markets during a period of changing consumer interests and the rise of modernist planning in Portland, Oregon. Ultimately, the Carroll Public Market was torn down for reasons beyond its own control despite the comfortable profit it enjoyed each year. Many city officials refused to support the institution as they increasingly supported the values of modernism and urban planning. The Portland Public Market fit perfectly with many city planners' and private investors' intents for the future. This essay seeks to offer a unique glimpse of how commercial communities form and how commercial environments evolve through the politics of food distribution, consumerism, and producer-to-consumer relationships.

The study focuses and explores citizen participation in the policy and planning process in local government in Lesotho. The study argues that citizen participation in the policy and planning process is important. This is because it is through citizen participation that the government is rendered accountable and responsive to the needs of the local community. Secondly, citizen participation is important in that it helps in the deepening of democracy. In Lesotho, citizen participation has been encouraged by the different governments since the era of Moshoeshoe to the present regime. Lesotho held the first democratic local government elections in 2005. One of the objectives of introducing local government is to foster citizen participation in policy and planning processes. The interviews conducted reveal that citizen participation is taking place even though at a minute degree. Several challenges exist in local government that hinder active and effective citizen participation in local government in Lesotho. One of the major challenges impeding citizen participation is the statutory framework regulating citizens’ participation in local government. This study has found that there is no direct legal or policy framework regulating or enforcing citizen participation in local government. Coupled with this challenge is another crucial challenge relating to the structure and mechanisms that are used for citizen participation. The study reveals that the structures and mechanisms are not adequate to enhance and encourage citizen participation. Pursuant to this, the study proposes some reforms with a view to improving citizen participation in Lesotho. Firstly, the study proposes that the policy and legislative frameworks be improved so as to provide enough scope and space for citizen participation. These frameworks should provide for adequate structures, mechanisms as well as processes and areas that can improve citizen participation in local government. Secondly, crucial instruments for community participation in planning such as the IDP, budget process and the performance management in South African context can be designed with specific cognisance of the structures established. Thirdly, the government must encourage, educate and sensitize citizens to actively take part in local government, through capacity building programmes. It can take the advantage of the NGOs already working with the communities and citizens as a strategy to enhance citizen participation.
Public Administration & Management
M. Admin. (Public Administration)

This dissertation addresses an age-old topic, but introduces some different insights. Overall, it is a sound piece of research that satisfies the requirements of a course work masters. Her topic is interesting in the context of a large-scale infrastructure project and the research questions are carefully formulated. The research method is appropriate and adequately described. In view of the (not unexpected) difficulties encountered with respondents in the field, she has made effective use of the sources that were available. The theoretical framework appears to cover most of the relevant literature; and is written in a coherent way. The description of the case study is clear. It presents a complex and fascinating set of stakeholders and daunting challenges for Planners attempting to mediate between macro, national scale infrastructure needs on the one hand, and on the other, social justice in communities where the prevailing laws and practices militate against women and the poorly educated. The findings are reported in chapter 4. These provide a valuable insight into dynamics within and surrounding the participation process. In the course of this chapter, she unveils an interesting array of issues, many of which are about power relations. This makes the topic difficult to research fully in the context of an MTRP dissertation. However, while not achieving much analytical depth, she has produced a useful set if insights that will be of value to other researchers in this field. The conclusions and recommendations have been dealt with in a systematic, yet thoughtful manner.
Thesis (M.Arch)-University of Natal, 2001.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the nature, merits and limitations of the citizen participation model used in the process of developing a municipal plan for the impacts of population aging. The research is based on a literature review and participant observation of one case study. It is evident from the literature that citizen participation is integral to the democratic decision making process, since it can strengthen principles central to the practice of democratic government, namely, representation, public interest and accountability. Power and its distribution are fundamental elements in distinguishing one level of participation from another. They are also, therefore, key factors to consider in the design of participation programs. Of the models investigated, partnership is identified as one that requires government and citizens to engage in shared decision making Citizen participation in planning practice over the last twenty-five years has varied widely in terms of the intent, design and techniques used. Among citizen participation theorists there is some consensus on the causes of all too frequent failures in practice. These include differing expectations and objectives among the government actors and citizens involved, failure to match appropriate techniques with objectives, and lack of evaluation. Based on the theory, the partnership model effectively addresses these problems and has considerable advantages over other models such as consultation. The research reveals that in partnership, the objectives of both citizen and government participants guide the process, and that resources, expertise and decision making power are shared during the planning process. Problems associated with the model include dangers of cooptation of citizens involved, and the tendency for the citizen participants to become an elite group unrepresentative of the larger public. These findings are explored and amplified through an evaluation of a case of partnership in practice which generates mixed results in terms of its merits and limitations. This model produced conditions for a substantial degree of shared decision making Techniques used provided direct access to resources and the planning process for citizen and government participants. An open-ended project design and multiple opportunities provided for participation in varying degrees were also successful features used in achieving partner-ship. The research also indicates that citizens engaged in partnership with government were relatively few, and the project lacked political support necessary for changes in resource allocation. These results are attributable to, in part, a trade off between the quality and quantity of citizen participation as sharing of decision making power increases. Conclusions of this study of a model of citizen participation suggest that in defining social issues and developing plans to address them, government and citizen participants need to redefine their roles and expectations of each other. In the past, common roles for citizens in the planning process have been as clients, advocates, complainants, advisors and supplicants. As decision makers and problem solvers engaged in partnership planning with government, their participation may be more effective. The study of the Project on Aging generates some lessons for future practice of the partnership model. This case suggests that planning in partnership requires commitment to the partnership objective as a substantive and not a symbolic goal. This means government takes an active role in creating conditions for partners to act on their interests.

Employing empirical findings from Tharaka Nithi and Siaya counties, this thesis analyses the dynamics of citizen participation in development policy and planning process in Kenya and its effects on poverty reduction efforts in the rural parts of the country. The study is based on the premise that public participation enhances the quality and relevance of development processes and their outcomes and is, therefore, an important ingredient for achieving sustainable poverty reduction outcomes. It utilizes the political economy model and draws from the concepts of “power” and “interests” in understanding the poverty reduction „enterprise‟ in the two rural communities in Kenya. The study finds that the elites, bureaucrats, and institutions have dominated Kenya‟s post-colonial development policy and planning space to the exclusion and disadvantage of ordinary citizens. The capture of public decision-making spaces, processes and development outcomes by elites is widespread and has affected the extent and quality of citizen participation in decision-making and poverty reduction in rural Kenya. Although ordinary citizens generally view themselves as the front line duty bearers in the fight against poverty, they hardly fulfilled their perceived role in poverty reduction. Faced with a web of dominating forces and constraints, ordinary citizens have become passive and peripheral actors in the poverty reduction „enterprise‟ and local level development generally. As currently profiled, approached and directed, poverty reduction is an elitist project with its goals couched in populist terms, essentially in the service of powerful and influential people and institutions within the Kenyan society. This explains why, despite poverty reduction being a policy objective throughout the post-independence period, alarmingly high levels of poverty have persisted in Kenya, especially in the rural areas. The study concludes that the success of rural poverty reduction in Kenya is chiefly dependent on sufficient citizen participation in decision-making, quality of development planning, good leadership and the capacity and will of institutions at the grassroots to pursue sustainable development endeavors.

Alvin Min Che Lin.
Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2000.
Includes bibliographical references (leaves 124-127).
Abstracts in English and Chinese.
Abstract in English and Chinese --- p.i-ii
Acknowledgements --- p.iii
List of Abbreviations --- p.v
Photo of Tolo Harbour reclamation near Chinese University --- p.vi
Chapter Chapter 1. --- "The Harbour Reclamation Debate: Introduction, Theoretical Framework and Literature Review" --- p.1
Chapter Chapter 2. --- Govemment as City Planner: How and Why the Government Came to Pursue its Reclamation Plans in Victoria Harbour. Issues in Hong Kong's Town Planning System --- p.29
Chapter Chapter 3. --- Framing the Debate: the Rise of the Harbour Protection Movement and the Government's Initial Response (October 1994 ´ؤ October1995) --- p.41
Chapter Chapter 4. --- "The Debate Gets Underway: Organizing, Campaigning, Lawmaking (November 1995 - June1997)" --- p.59
Chapter Chapter 5. --- "Continuity and Change After the Handover: Escalation, Showdown and Resolution (July 1997 - October 1999 and Beyond)" --- p.82
Chapter Chapter 6. --- Discussion and Conclusion. What We Learn From the Harbour Debate Significance of the Debate for Hong Kong Politics --- p.118
Bibliography --- p.124
Appendix:
The Protection of the Harbour Ordinance and TPB Vision Statement Table of Government Plans and Alternative Plans
Tables:
Chapter 1.1 --- Existing/Committed and Proposed Reclamations in Victoria Harbour in1994 --- p.8
Chapter 2.1 --- Uses for Existing and Proposed Harbour Reclamations --- p.33
Figures:
Chapter 1.1 --- Lessig's Four Elements for Regulating Behavior --- p.13
Chapter 1.2 --- The Framework Applied to the Harbour Reclamation Debate --- p.15
Chapter 3.1 --- "The Harbour Debate, October 1994-October1995" --- p.40
Chapter 4.1 --- "The Harbour Debate, November 1995 - June1997" --- p.58
Chapter 5.1 --- "The Harbour Debate, July 1997 ´ؤ October 1999 and Beyond" --- p.81
Chapter 6.1 --- How Civil Society Influenced the Government --- p.121
Miscellaneous:
Blueprint of the reclamations and SPH petition --- p.6b

This research considers the problem of ensuring citizens having meaningful opportunities to provide input in local government environmental planning and decision-making. Planning processes are often as much a product of uncertain human behaviours as they are the result of rational activity and formal institutional arrangements. Both the conduct and outcomes of these processes are heavily influenced by conflicts between actors’ underlying perspectives, yet these perspectives are hard to define and their influence is very poorly understood by researchers. Instead, local government research focuses almost exclusively on institutional arrangements and substantive debates over physical resources. This research focuses on the influence of epistemological and procedural dimensions of actors’ perspectives on the integration of citizens’ agendas in environmental planning and decision-making in New Zealand local government. From a deliberative democratic perspective, I examine obstacles to the conduct of an effective integrative process and consider possible practical and theoretical responses. The research studies two local government wastewater planning processes. It combines Q-methodology with interviews, observation and documentary analysis. This approach allows me to identify actors’ subjective perspectives and to consider their influence on planning and decision-making. This combination of methods has not previously been used in local government research in New Zealand. The research shows that while conflicts between actors’ perspectives pose significant barriers to the integration of citizens’ agendas, they can also offer opportunities for addressing those barriers. Integration is clearly limited by a positivist, rationalist perspective that privileges objectivity in knowledge and planning practices. Integration is further limited by a competitive adversarial perspective. Nevertheless, there is also potential where deliberative perspectives are present that are more value-critical and that seek intersubjective understanding of actors’ inputs. Such compromise-seeking perspectives contribute to more communicatively rational planning and more legitimate and durable decisions. The thesis argues that councils should foster a change among actors towards a more deliberative perspective and should champion such behaviour themselves. Such change is often obstructed by the tacit, unacknowledged, yet persistent, nature of most actors’ perspectives. The thesis concludes that while transformation of perspectives is unrealistic, a more communicatively rational planning approach is achievable as a basis for legitimate decisions that more effectively integrate citizens’ agendas.

This study entails an examination of the extent of participation by the non-governmental organisations in the legislative process of the KwaZulu Natal legislature. It aims to explore how far these NGOs have taken advantage of the new South African polity based on transparency, openness and accountability. It is hypothesised that organised groups such as these have been very much involved in government decision- making process, since the start of the new democratic South Africa in 1994. This study, however, proves, that there is very minimal public participation and especially NGO participation in the KwaZulu-Natal legislature and in government in general. It further uncovers are various problems experienced by these NGOs in trying to participate in the legislative process. The legislature's inaccessibility was seen as one of the major inhibiting factors. Apathy and lack of interest in the legislative process was also identified as a problem among these NGOs. This study has raised many issues that both the NGO sector and the KZN legislature itself have to address in order that our newly founded democracy can be truly nurtured. This study is divided into two parts in which Part One explores literature on democracy, the policy making process and civil society to help give a clear indication on what various authors think should be the input of civil society in the policy making process of any democratic country. The second part looks at the South African situation and the findings of this study.
Thesis (M.A.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2001.

The dawn of democracy in South Africa ushered an increasing need for government to interact with the citizens. This study assesses the use of the state of the province address (SOPA) as a communication platform to keep the citizens abreast of the government programmes and deliverables in Limpopo province, South Africa. SOPA is broadcasted mainly from the legislature whilst the communities can view the proceedings in identified public viewing areas. Since SOPA’s inception, there is limited academic studies conducted on the effectiveness of SOPA in general and public viewing areas in particular. To fill this paucity of research, this study reviewed the government communication strategy with specific reference to government communication and information systems (GCIS) which emphasises on the need for government to interact with stakeholders at all levels. Using communication effectiveness and stakeholder theories (also called Izimbizo), this study evaluated the planning process of SOPA and citizens’ views on the effectiveness of the public viewing areas. In-depth interviews and survey were conducted with campaign planners and Mokwakwaila citizens respectively. Data was analysed using thematic analysis for interviews and descriptive statistics for survey. This study found that the internal planning process of the campaign (SOPA) is accordingly linked to the strategic objectives of the province, but inadequate funding hinders the longevity of the campaign. It is also this study’s finding that whilst citizens found SOPA to be effective they however feel that government does not do enough to source feedback after the campaign. This study recommends that there could be an exploration of the new media utility to produce more awareness about the campaign in order to accommodate audience that do not use radio and newspapers. The implications on campaign planners is that they should conduct feedback to improve public participation in future government programmes
Communication Science
M.A. (Communication)