From ideas to practice: The involvement of informal settlement communities in policy-making at city level in South Africa

Abstract

This article explores the extent of informal settlement communities' involvement in policy-making at city level in South Africa. It argues that participation of these communities in city-wide policy-making is a critical ingredient for developing inclusive policies for the future development of cities. In South Africa, the local government policy emphasises the centrality of community participation in policy-making. In practice, however, the participation of informal settlement communities appears to be very limited. The article establishes a conceptual understanding on the informal settlement communities' involvement in policy-making at city level based on the notions of citizenship and participation. It briefly reviews the facets of community participation in the local government policy and legislative frameworks in South Africa, and examines the actual participation of informal settlement communities in policy-making through the statutory mechanisms of public participation. The article then highlights the nature of the local government mandate to promote local democracy, the failure of the state, especially the local sphere, to recognise the informal settlement communities as a disadvantaged group, the prevailing approaches to urban management and local planning, and the absence of strong social movements that represent the informal settlement communities as the main factors that limit the participation of these communities in city-wide policy-making processes.