1.1 BACKGROUND
The Greater Giyani Municipality has, during the 2001/02 financial year developed its Integrated Development Plan (IDP), which was approved by Council in September 2002/3. The municipality as per the requirement of the Municipal Systems Act embarked on the annual reviews. The municipality has during the last five years (5) through IDP process attempted to work with groups and communities to find a sustainable ways to meet its social, economic and material needs to improve their standard of living. The municipality is once again with the appointment of the new council that was inaugurated on the 12 May 2006 developing and reviewing the IDP for the next five years. It is expected of council to develop a credible IDP that will guide and inform their planning, budgeting, management and decision-making in a municipality.
1.2 ASSESSMENT OF THE 2005/06 IDP
The assessment of the 2005/06 IDP will be done in terms of national, provincial and municipal assessment.
1.2.1 National Assessment
The Local Government MINMEC meeting held on the 12th November 2004 mandated government to hold nation-wide Hearings on Development Planning. These are scheduled for every district and metropolitan municipality between April and June 2005.
The IDP Hearings take the form of an inter-governmental dialogue around the issues in the Districts/Metros and are aimed at assessing how the whole of government is prioritizing development, allocating resources and implementing in the district and metropolitan areas. It is therefore aimed not only at assessing the municipalities but also provincial and national input and support.
The IDP Hearings in Limpopo Province took place from the 19th - 21st April 2005 in Thohoyandou. The following sections are extractions from the draft Panel Response Report that highlighted the main issues raised during the Mopani District Hearings.
Development Challenges
The main developmental challenges were seen as to be the following:
· The lack of cooperation between various departments.
· Delays in the provision of grants and funding results in delays in progress with infrastructure and project implementation.
· Delays in land claims and land redistribution processes impede the District’s ability to encourage significant investment.
· The high settlement of migrants affects the District’s ability to manage efficient delivery of services to poor.
Driving Forces for Economic Development
Key driving forces for economic development include the following:
· The huge forestry potential in the Vhembe and Mopani District could result in significant economic benefits in both districts.
· The lucrative tourism sector, and the positioning of Mopani as a destination of choice, increases the economic base within the district and province.
· The established agricultural sector is seen as an important economic driving force and contributes significantly to employment creation.
Infrastructure Challenges
Identified infrastructure challenges included the following:
· Additional information is needed on the provision of Free Basic services and the municipality’s strategies to ensure access to these services.
· Strategies to address the sanitation backlog need further elaboration. The municipality is encouraged to seek support from DBSA, Provincial Local Government and DWAF on alternative strategies to address backlogs.
· The impact of water provision and the extent to which communities have benefited from policies and implementation strategies of the district needs further elaboration. An impact assessment is recommended with specific reference to benefits to respective communities across all municipalities.
· Standard statistics and the budgetary and time implications to address backlogs are needed for all municipalities.
· The capacity implications of increasing the pace of water, sanitation and infrastructure provision need to be determined. This should be reflected in budgetary allocations and alternative partnership approaches should be sought to fill identified gaps.
· A refined information-gathering system is recommended to ensure ease of flow of information from sector departments such as DEAT and DWAF as well as from local municipalities. This should be managed at a central point to ensure accessibility, relevance and applicability in strategic decision-making processes.
Land management and Environmental Issues
Land management and environmental issues that should receive more attention include the following:
· An audit is recommended on the extent of land claims and redistribution in the district area.
· The Department of Land Affairs should expedite application processes and ensure speedy delivery of land.
· The District and the DLA should jointly address socio-economic implications of land reform and redistribution across the DM.
· GIS expertise is needed across all municipalities. District-based expertise is recommended to ensure effective utilization of this capacity.
· There is a need to allocate resources to manage the environmental management mandate of the District. Technical capacity needs to be sourced to ensure that prominence is given to the environmental function in the District. Assistance should be provided by DEAT in this regard.
· The recycling initiative in 2 LMs and promoted by the MDM Municipal Manager is noted. Additional information is needed on the licensing of waste sites and waste management strategies across the District.
Economic Development
Economic development should be addressed through the following:
· District Tourism strategies and investments need to be informed by provincial and national marketing strategies.
· Cooperative strategies need to be developed between Mopani DM and Vhembe DM to ensure that regional interests are promoted and cross-border benefits are promoted.
· The agriculture and forestry opportunities in both Vhembe DM and Mopani DM need to be exploited and formal agreements between the two districts need to be in place to ensure region-wide impacts of investments.
· The District is encouraged to further pursue its Route Development initiative for game and golf, amongst others.
· Partnerships with private sector developers need to be brokered.
Resource Streams
A number of issues were raised regarding resource streams including:
· Approval processes of MIG and the required technical reports such as the environmental impact assessments (EIA) affect the timely provision of services. DPLG and DEAT need to ensure that appropriate information and reporting criteria are available to municipalities to ensure successful applications.
· The municipality needs to further refine project prioritization and related council approval processes. A comprehensive system is recommended to ensure that all trade-offs are fully considered and communicated.
· Alternative strategies need to be in place in Giyani LM to address cost recovery challenges. A provincial-wide strategy needs to be devised to ensure financial viability of the District.
· Funding allocations for planning need to be considered by DPLG, Provincial and National Treasury and Department of Local Government and Housing. This will ensure that the much needed project feasibility studies are conducted prior to the commencement of projects.
· It is recommended that the DM internalises spatial concerns and ensures that these are reflected in investments, budgets and decisions relating to the reduction of backlogs.
Inter-governmental Co-ordination
Governance and intergovernmental coordination received attention, especially the following issues:
· An extensive capacity initiative is needed to assist municipalities with the preparation of project briefs and scope of projects. This will ensure that excessive planning is averted and that deliverables are more realistic.
· The district capacity building strategy currently being developed is acknowledged. This should extend to include costs of capacity initiatives over the past five years as well as an audit of available capacity in all municipalities.
· Career Development initiatives should be put in place to ensure recruitment and retention of appropriately skilled staff and to prevent over-reliance on consultants.
· More information is required on budgetary allocations for capacity building across the DM and its impact on the pace of service delivery.
· A more accessible MIG project management support unit is recommended and should be located at Provincial and National departments of Local Government. This should be complemented by Project Management Units at District level to address technical capacity and to ensure appropriate management and execution of MIG projects.
· District–Local municipal relations need to be strengthened and proposed inter-governmental structures need to be entrenched further. This should be enhanced by effective district-wide communication strategies.
· There is a need for a more direct support and involvement of Land Affairs in IDP implementation processes. This could ensure that land development stumbling blocks can be addressed as a matter of urgency.
· There is a need for improved cooperation between National and Provincial Departments of Transport. Interaction with districts needs to be formalised to ensure appropriate prioritisation and maintenance of relevant roads.
· The DM is encouraged to review the NSDP and consider the implications of this perspective on identified priorities.
· DLGH should inform the District on perspectives and recommendations on settlement patterns and their implications for the cost of service delivery. A local-based response is needed in this regard.
· Province should work with the District and local municipalities on turnaround strategies to ensure improved cooperation amongst spheres and across communities.
Community Participation
Community participation is an important element of the IDP process and the following issues should be addressed:
· Additional information is needed on the District’s comprehensive community participation strategy. This should also include information on how rural communities are included in district decision-making processes.
· The District plan to organise regular Imbizos is encouraged.
· The Multi-Purpose Centres in the District are recognised. More information is needed on how these centres are managed and how these centres are used to ensure a more informed community.
· An audit is needed of the number of Community Development Workers (CDW) currently operating in the District. The role and management system in place for these workers needs to be elaborated. An extensive training initiative on IDP and municipal development processes is needed.
· The pending ward committee conference is acknowledged. It is recommended that this conference provide clear recommendations on roles and responsibilities and accountability structures for CDWs.
· There is a need for a council adopted public participation process plan to ensure a shift from IDPs being a once-off event to one that is a more effective planning and monitoring tool.
1.2.2 Provincial Assessment
The Department of Local Government and Housing (DLGH) together with the Department of Provincial and Local Government (DPLG) conducted the IDP assessment and the reports were submitted to municipalities during the IDP Engagement week conducted by the Office of the Premier on the 2nd -5th of May 2006.
Some of the issues raised that required attention were
KPA / Focus Area / Improvement measure· Credibility of IDP / · The IDP was found to be partly credible.
· Spatial Development Framework
· Sustainable human settlement linkages to the NSDP / · LUMS to be developed out of SDF
· Need to develop Environmental Management Plan.
· More maps required for analysis purposes.
· Need information on natural resources and its life cycle.
· Information on comparative advantage of different areas.
· Strategies for spatial reconstruction
Planning within spatial concept of integrated human settlements:
i. housing
ii. water
iii. sanitation
iv. electricity
v. stormwater
vi. waste management / · must develop infrastructure plan,
· Must have detailed information on the service delivery backlog.
· Must develop plan to eradicate informal settlements.
· Must update statistical information
· Must develop budget that is aligned with the service delivery project plans
· Must have clear plans to progressively achieve the national and provincial service delivery targets
· Must have local IDP that is aligned with the District IDP.
· Budget and plan to ensure that all households have access to basic sanitation by 2010.
· Budget and plan to ensure that all households have access to basic water services by 2010
· Budget and plan to ensure that all households have access to electricity by 2012.
· Budget and plan to ensure that all households have access to refuse removal services by 2010.
· Must develop plan for roads
· Must support Environmental Impact Assessment
· Must have policy and budget to manage the implementation of Free Basic Services (FBS).
· Must develop sector plans required in terms of the IDP.
· Must promote intergovernmental dialogue.
Social and economic infrastructure investment and services to the community / · Must develop infrastructure investment plan.
· Investment planning utilising MIG in the next MTEF
· Indication of usage of Own revenue for infrastructure.
· Must develop plans to utilise other vehicles to aid infrastructure investment.
· Must align provincial and municipal projects and programmes
· Highlight the EPWP as a means to provide job opportunities and training.
· Must indicate level of confidence to attract infrastructure investment in the area.
Economic development
Key Elements for alignment:
· Principles of NSDP
· Alignment with PGDS
· Understanding of ASGISA
· National & Provincial sector alignment
/ · Must promote intergovernmental alignment
· Must clarify how NSDP is interpreted in respect of sector plans.
Spatially informed strategies for local economic growth and development and poverty reduction. / · Must develop LED Strategy
Financial Management and Compliance to MFMA / · Must do detail local economic base
· Income streams (revenue base)
· Operational budget for project plans
· Must develop a billing system.
· Must reflect plans for capacity building
Institutional Arrangements / · Must develop comprehensive HR strategy
· Must include organogram with vacancy rates
· Must develop corporate plan: communication strategy
· Must develop the workplace Skills Plan
· Must develop the Equity Plan
· Must finalise the PMS
Governance / · Must promote public participation – IDP & Budget
· Ensure functional ward committees
· Must develop a comprehensive communication strategy
1.2.3 Municipal Assessment
The Institute of Performance Management (IPM) did the municipal assessment for Greater Giyani Municipality. An assessment template was formulated in terms of Process, Content and Participation.
Content / Comments /Process Plan / A process plan with is indicated.
Vision and mission / Vision and mission statements have been completed.
Analysis / A status quo was completed.
Development Priorities and Objectives / Development priorities and objectives are identified.
Strategies / Strategic guidelines and strategies were identified.
Projects and budget / Project and budgets are indicated on project sheets.
Performance Management / A comprehensive PMS has not been developed. Project sheets included targets and budgets.
Previous comments and reviews / It is not clear if the IDP is submitted to a relevant provincial department as required by the MSA.
National, Provincial and cross border alignment. / There is no indication of alignment with national, provincial and district policies and priorities.
Cross border alignment with neighbouring municipalities is also not addressed.
Understanding of issues and dynamics:
· Technical analysis of services
· Institutional
· Economic
· Socio economic
· Spatial
· Environment
Assessment of current level of development (Gap Analysis).
Identification of priorities, issues, causes and actions.
Identification of resources or opportunities.
Identify key plans, programmes/interventions etc.
Identify responsibilities / Although a status quo was completed it seems as if the priorities were decided on by the needs identified by the community.
An integrated conclusion on the understanding of all the issues is lacking.
Strategies and objectives / Strategic objectives and working objectives were identified per priority issue.
Strategies were developed to ensure the implementation of the working objectives. Urban development strategies could be added to the list which focuses mainly on functions of the municipality.
Programmes, Budget, Sectoral plans / There is currently no indication of how the budget was prioritized and how it linked back to the strategies and objectives.
The Capex analysis is incomplete and should have indicated summaries of spending and a Capital Investment Framework as indicated by the MSA.
The integration section indicated which of the sector plans have been completed and which not. The following sector plans still need to be developed:
· A 5 year financial and capital plan.
· SDF must be reviewed
· Poverty Alleviation and Gender Equity programmes.
· HIV and AIDS programme
· LED programme
Performance management / A comprehensive PMS must still be completed.
External Communication Plan / Although meetings with stakeholders did occur, it is not clear if a dedicated communication plan is in place.
Internal Communication Plan / Although meetings with departments did occur, it is not clear if a dedicated communication plan is in place.
Participation Mechanisms / No indication is given on what participation mechanisms have been utilized. The outcomes of the participation process is also not summarized.
Issues summary and addressed in content report – link to priorities, strategies etc. / Outcomes of the participation process have not been summarized probably because the detail participation happened at local level. It is therefore difficult to assess the success of the participation process or how the outcomes link with the indicated strategies and objectives.
The diagram below present how each of the general phases of the IDP i.e. preparation, general analysis , analysis of infrastructure and services, strategies, projects and sector plans, has been addressed and completed. This is a measurement of compliance and not necessarily of alignment and integration.