OVERVIEW OF PLANNING FRAMEWORK
IN THE CONTEXT OF LOCAL
GOVERNMENT IN SOUTH AFRICA
Strategic Planning Learning Exchange
‘fostering learning of the global south”
13 JUNE 2011
OUTLINE
• Legislative overview
• Planning framework
• Municipal planning
• Other challenges
• Key lessons
LEGISLATIVE
OVERVIEW
Municipal Systems
Act (section 26) –
Municipal Finance
Management Act
Development
Facilitation Act new bill published
Green Paper:
National Planning
Commission
*IDP
*Spatial development frameworks
*Community Participation
*Accountability for performance
*Effective utilisation of public finances
*Participatory budget process
*Service Delivery and Budget
Implementation Plan
*Framework for spatial plans that
guide city form
*Land use management
Develop a Vision 2025 and a long
term strategic plan
PLANNING FRAMEWORK
- National Vision (NPC) – including a spatial vision
National
Provincial
- New Growth Path (national economic strategy)
- Sector Plans (eg. transportation, human
settlements)
- Provincial Growth and Development Strategies
- Sector Plans
- Municipal Growth and Development Strategies
(long term)
Local
- Integrated Development Plans (aligned to political
manifesto for Mayoral Term)
- Service Delivery and Budget Implementation Plan
- Performance Scorecards
MUNICIPAL
PLANNING
• Each municipality is required to develop an
Integrated Development Plan (IDP) in terms of the
Municipal System Act
• The IDP is an strategic development plan for a the 5
year Mayoral Term and is reviewed annually with
budget cycle
• Municipalities are then required to draft a Service
Delivery and Budget Implementation Plan (operation
plan) in terms of the Municipal Finance Management
Act
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MUNICIPAL PLANNING
• The Integrated Development Plan (IDP) is the key
policy document that:
– Is a plan of how a municipality will spend its budget
(business plan)
– Is a representation of community needs
– Articulates a clear long term vision with sector plans
(transportation, human settlements, water sector plans,
etc) – Long Term Plan
– Is a consolidation of all government plans at a local level
– Conveys key areas of municipal performance
– Includes an HRD and institutional plan
– Articulates governments requirements for municipal
turnarounds
– Includes a spatial vision/framework through the
development of spatial development frameworks
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MUNICIPAL PLANNING:
STRENGTHS AND
WEAKNESSES
Strengths
Weaknesses
• Institutionalised system of
planning - culture of planning
• Coherent framework of
planning and budgeting
• Areas of excellence in planning
- especially large cities (vision,
leadership, budget alignment,
prioritisation)
• Institutionalised system of
intergovernmental commenting
on municipal IDP’s
• System of IDP tries to be too
much and everything
(consultant driven, community
wish list, funding plan, TAS
Plan, etc)
• Capacity constraints to comply
with all requirements especially
in smaller municipalities
• Lack of participation in practice
and alignment of national and
provincial plans into IDP’s
• Malicious compliance (clean
audit and ‘credible IDP but no
performance)
OTHER KEY ISSUES
• From a Municipal Perspective there are multiple
departments that influence planning
– National planning commission residing in the Presidency
– National Treasury planning with large cities (with Human
Settlements and Transport Ministries)
– National Rural Development responsible for rural
development
– Cooperative Governance responsible for IDP oversight
• Land use management legislation out of date and
currently being revised (Continued co-existence of
separate/parallel legislation)
EXAMPLE OF
PROVINCIAL GDS
National (National SDF)/Provincial (GDS or
Provincial SDF vs Local Planning
Typical Provincial GDS indicators
•
•
•
•
•
•
8% growth rate
Access to water and sanitation by 2010
Access to electricity by 2012
Tarring of roads by 2009
Formalisation of informal settlements by 2009
Eradication of identified existing informal
settlements by 2014,
• Eradicate bucket systems 2006
• Universal provision of free basic
KEY LESSONS AND
POINTS FOR
CONSIDERATION
• Simplify system of planning for SA, especially for smaller
municipalities and introduce a differentiated approach
• Framework in place but no effective coordination of national
and provincial planning to ensure their interests are reflected
locally (no system to manage competing interests)
• No relationship between long, medium and short term planning
systems across spheres – eg national transport plan to a local
public transportation plan
• Constitutional court decision on Municipal Planning - clarify role
of provinces and national government
• Dealing with informality/under development in our planning
remains a challenge (job creation, informal settlements
upgrade, land use management for informal areas, etc)
• Need to align fiscal transfers to planning processes