Integrated development planning as a poverty alleviation tool

This research paper has explored the role of Integrated Development Planning (IDP) as a poverty alleviation tool in Koukamma Municipality. The National Development Plan (2011) outlines that political democracy cannot flourish if most of the people of South Africa are still faced with poverty. The plan further states that the current democratic government should proactively prioritise finding plans to eliminate poverty for the people of South Africa. It is a national framework for development, and elimination of poverty and reduction of inequality are its main objectives. Its success will be measured by the degree to which the lives and opportunities of the poorest people of South Africa are transformed in a sustainable manner. Thus, the use of IDP in municipalities is a legislative requirement through the Local Government Systems Act 32 of 2000 and Sections 152/3 of the South African Constitution of 1996. The IDP also ensures that municipalities implement and assess the impact of their developmental programmes and poverty alleviation projects on the objectives of sustainable development. In this study an interview was held with the Municipal Manager of the municipality who is the champion of the IDP which contains poverty alleviation projects, in order to assess their successes and challenges. There were also questionnaires handed out to a sample of the community to assess their satisfaction with the implementation of the IDP and to highlight the socio-economic conditions of the population