Sustainable community development as an integral part of sectoral plans in South Africa

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Sustainable community development is needed in order to create more integrated and sustainably developed towns and cities with an improved urban environment and to ensure higher quality of life. Such a development approach is therefore of particular relevance to South Africa. Although policies and legislation regarding sustainable development exists at international, national and local level, there is a lack of planning instruments to guide sustainable community development. In this paper Tlokwe Local Municipality is researched as study area to test and develop planning instruments for sustainable community development. A Goal Assessment Matrix (GAM) approach is applied to score and prioritise municipal projects, plans and strategies according to sustainable community development fundamentals. The top scoring projects are indicative of the achievement of sustainable community development goals and objectives. Subsequent to the GAM assessment a lack of alignment between the sectoral plans was identified as well as the duplication of projects. The projects, plans and strategies of the municipality are not formulated and integrated with the sustainable community development framework as a guiding goal or main focus. An approach is developed for municipalities to apply the assessment matrix methodology to determine its level of sustainability when formulating its sectoral plans (Spatial Development Frameworks, Integrated Transport Plans, Environmental Management Frameworks and Integrated Development Plans). Areas in which there is a lack of sustainability are highlighted and can consequently be addressed through intervention strategies. Prioritising municipal projects, plans and strategies through the application of the GAM methodology enables municipalities to identify crucial projects that need special attention to ensure its successful implementation. This will largely assist and promote