Document: Laingsburg Local Municipality IDP 2007 - 2012

 

Integrated Development Planning was in the first five years cycle a learning school forLaingsburg Municipality as well as for all Municipalities in the Central Karoo District regions, although writers like Coetzee (1987:1) argued that development concerns people and this very same people experience their daily realities, feeling its implications and seeing its practical functioning. The challenge we as the municipality of Laingsburg were faced with was the fact of getting the municipality from the old technocratic way planning to the people-centered development planning. It’s because of this and the experience gained from the last IDP MTEC Engagement that the Municipality’s of Laingsburg IDP Coordinator started the process with the commitment of going to the people on the lowest level of society to learn what the reality is, for the person living in those circumstances and not just focus on the legal requirements.

 

In line with the prescriptions in the Municipal Systems Act, Act 32 of 2000 the municipality of Laingsburg has over the last six months been involved in an intensive process of Integrated development Planning using the Community Based Planning Tool to have an intensive public participation process which contained active involvement and growing empowerment . The Municipality of Laingsburg is quite aware of their role in the

Development of people to affect their living standards and to influence their conceptions of a better life for all their residents and no better way to achieve it with maximum participation throughout the process.

 

The municipality was faced with the following factors:

- Lack of the institutional capacities

- Insufficient knowledge about the implementation from a Project Management Perspective

- The poor financial position of the municipality

- Inability of the poor to pay for the services

- Pervasive culture of non-payment of those who are able to pay

- Economic Growth as per Stats SA and Socio-Economic Profile compiled by Provincial Treasury W/C

- Unacceptable high unemployment levels and lack of job opportunities

- Link between the IDP and Budget

- The fact that we could not determine the availability of funding for projects

- Staff limitations

- Lack of an Engineering Department.

 

The municipality new approach was to elect three Area Committees (Laingsburg, Matjiesfontein and Vleiland) with the same functions of Ward Committees. An IDP Steering Committee was established to make sure that all departments in our Municipality are on board in the IDP Process. An IDP Forum was established to get all important Stakeholders on board as well as representation from the Area Committees,

Businesses, Agricultural Associations, Tourism and various state departments. The municipality is also busy upgrading their financial systems to increase accountability and transparency. The dept collection policy has also been reviewed to increase dept collection as well as to increase the collection of revenue including the property rates in rural area. The Municipal Manager and our Chief of Finance as well as all head of departments worked around the clock with me to create a more predictable and stable fiscal environment.

 

Due to financial situation and the above mentions constrains the prioritization of projects, the drawing up of a proper 5 year financial and action plan was proved difficult. Considering the municipality financial state, limited resources and legislation, the municipality of Laingsburg will be particularly challenged to take hands with community stakeholders in order to implement its IDP in a smart way. The municipality is also going to start a new approach in targeting Provincial Departments to get them to invest in the poorest of the poorest communities with a Local Economic approach to bridge the gap of the 2nd and the 1st Economy.

 

We achieved the following through public Participation:

- Area Plans for all three areas in the municipal Demarcation area

- The formulation of a new Municipal Vision

- Maximized the involvement of the Private Sector

- Forming of Partnerships with the Private sector and the community

- Fostering a Caring Community through our Local Crime Prevention strategy

- Fostering a Proudly Laingsburg spirit amongst our communities as specially the scholars.