AND MANAGEMENT

In terms of recent legislation in South Africa there is a strong focus on progressively building local government into an effective, frontline development agency capable of bringing about the social and economic upliftment of local communities. Local authorities are no longer mere providers of services such as water and electricity. Rather, the emphasis has shifted to developmental local government whereby it is the central responsibility of local authorities to work together with local communities to find sustainable ways to meet their needs and improve the quality of their lives. In this context, local authorities are required to produce Integrated Development Plans which form the framework for development projects within the local government sphere. Within this framework, local authorities need to initiate and design development projects together with local communities. To this end, this paper will devote attention to the need for active community participation in project conception, as well as the various mechanisms or strategies that can be utilised by local authorities to bring this about.