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An exploratory study on public participation of rural communities in the IDP public participation process : case study of Elsenburg
Thesis (MCom)--Stellenbosch University, 2025.
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2025
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| _version_ | 1867614024339816448 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | September, Steve |
| author2 | Botha, Melissa |
| author_browse | Botha, Melissa September, Steve |
| author_facet | Botha, Melissa September, Steve |
| author_sort | September, Steve |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (MCom)--Stellenbosch University, 2025. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/134442 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:45:27.799Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publishDateRange | 2025 |
| publishDateSort | 2025 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/134442 An exploratory study on public participation of rural communities in the IDP public participation process : case study of Elsenburg September, Steve Botha, Melissa Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. School of Public Leadership. Local government -- Citizen participation -- South Africa Community development -- South Africa Municipal government -- Public participation -- South Africa Public administration --Citizen participation -- South Africa Community participation -- South Africa UCTD Thesis (MCom)--Stellenbosch University, 2025. September, S. 2025. An Exploratory study on Public Participation of Rural Communities in the IDP Public Participation process: Case Study of Elsenburg. Unpublished masters thesis. Stellenbosch: Stellenbosch University [online]. Available: https://scholar.sun.ac.za/items/b85681d8-31d2-4a5e-8d9a-2e515971d7c6 ENGLISH SUMMARY: The Integrated Development Plan (IDP) is a strategic local government planning tool aimed at enhancing sustainable socio-economic growth in South Africa. However, despite the IDP’s potential to address localised needs, rural communities often face barriers to effective participation in the IDP Public Participation process. Therefore, this study explores the extent and nature of the public’s involvement in the IDP process among rural communities, using Elsenburg, a farming community in the Stellenbosch Municipal area, located in South Africa’s Western Cape province. Using a case study approach, this research seeks to understand the factors that influence rural public participation (PP), such as accessibility, socio-economic challenges, , and community awareness of PP opportunities. The research employs a mixed method research design, which includes both quantitative and qualitative research tools. The qualitative research tool comprises of semi-structured interviews with local government representatives involved in the IDP PP process, and qualitative questionnaire question completed by local community respondents. The quantitative research tool includes a questionnaire which was distributed and completed by the local community. Furthermore, document analysis of municipal records and documents are used to gain insights into decision-making inclusivity, community-government interaction, and the challenges limiting effective PP. Through thematic analysis, the study uncovers key issues such as low literacy levels, limited access to information, transportation challenges, and a general mistrust of governmental processes among rural residents. The research findings reveal that a combination of access to platforms, lack of awareness, and socio-economic constraints hinder the community’s ability to actively participate in decision making process to help shape policies that impact their livelihoods. Furthermore, the research identifies a need to emphasising the importance of improving accessibility, promoting awareness, and building trust between rural communities and municipal authorities. This study contributes to the body of knowledge on participatory governance by highlighting the possible barriers rural South African communities face in engaging with local government. It advocates for a re-evaluation of PP frameworks to create more inclusive and context-specific approaches that empower the most vulnerable communities. The findings hold implications for policymakers and development practitioners aiming to foster deeper rural engagement in planning processes, ultimately improving the legitimacy of IDP and supporting the equitable development goals within South Africa’s broader socio-political landscape. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Geintegreerde Ontwikkelingsplan (GOP) is 'n strategiese plaaslike regeringsbeplanningsinstrument wat daarop gemik is om volhoubare sosio-ekonomiese groei in Suid-Afrika te bevorder. Ten spyte van die GOP se potensiaal om gelokaliseerde behoeftes aan te spreek, staar landelike gemeenskappe egter dikwels struikelblokke in die gesig vir effektiewe deelname aan die GOP Openbare Deelname-proses. Daarom ondersoek hierdie studie die omvang en aard van die publiek se betrokkenheid by die GOP-proses onder landelike gemeenskappe, deur gebruik te maak van Elsenburg, 'n boerderygemeenskap in die Stellenbosch Munisipale area, gelee in Suid-Afrika se Wes-Kaap provinsie. Deur 'n gevallestudiebenadering te gebruik, poog hierdie navorsing om die faktore te verstaan wat landelike openbare deelname (PP) beinvloed, soos toeganklikheid, sosio-ekonomiese uitdagings, en gemeenskapsbewustheid van PP geleenthede. Die navorsing gebruik 'n gemengde metode navorsingsontwerp, wat beide kwantitatiewe en kwalitatiewe navorsingsinstrumente insluit. Die kwalitatiewe navorsingsinstrument bestaan uit semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude met plaaslike regeringsverteenwoordigers betrokke by die GOP openbare deelname-proses, en kwalitatiewe vraelysvrae wat deur plaaslike gemeenskapsrespondente voltooi is. Die kwantitatiewe navorsingsinstrument sluit 'n vraelys in wat deur die plaaslike gemeenskap versprei en voltooi is. Verder word dokumentontleding van munisipale rekords en dokumente gebruik om insigte te verkry oor besluitneminginklusiwiteit, gemeenskap-regering-interaksie en die uitdagings wat effektiewe PP beperk. Deur tematiese ontleding, ontbloot die studie sleutelkwessies soos lae geletterdheidsvlakke, beperkte toegang tot inligting, vervoeruitdagings en 'n algemene wantroue in regeringsprosesse onder landelike inwoners. Die navorsingsbevindinge toon dat 'n kombinasie van toegang tot platforms, 'n gebrek aan bewustheid en sosio-ekonomiese beperkings die gemeenskap se vermoe om aktief aan besluitnemingsproses deel te neem, belemmer om beleid te help vorm wat hul lewensbestaan beinvloed. Verder identifiseer die navorsing 'n behoefte om die belangrikheid van die verbetering van toeganklikheid, die bevordering van bewustheid en die bou van vertroue tussen landelike gemeenskappe en munisipale owerhede te beklemtoon. Hierdie studie dra by tot die liggaam van kennis oor deelnemende bestuur deur die moontlike struikelblokke wat landelike Suid-Afrikaanse gemeenskappe in die gesig staar om met plaaslike regering te skakel, uit te lig. Dit bepleit 'n herevaluering van PP-raamwerke om meer inklusiewe en konteksspesifieke benaderings te skep wat die mees kwesbare gemeenskappe bemagtig. Die bevindinge hou implikasies in vir beleidmakers en ontwikkelingspraktisyns wat daarop gemik is om dieper landelike betrokkenheid by beplanningsprosesse te bevorder, uiteindelik die legitimiteit van GOP te verbeter en die billike ontwikkelingsdoelwitte binne Suid-Afrika se breer sosio-politieke landskap te ondersteun. Masters 2025-12-01T06:14:43Z 2025-12-01T06:14:43Z 2025-03 Thesis https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/134442 en Stellenbosch University xv, 220 pages : illustrations, maps application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Local government -- Citizen participation -- South Africa Community development -- South Africa Municipal government -- Public participation -- South Africa Public administration --Citizen participation -- South Africa Community participation -- South Africa UCTD September, Steve An exploratory study on public participation of rural communities in the IDP public participation process : case study of Elsenburg |
| title | An exploratory study on public participation of rural communities in the IDP public participation process : case study of Elsenburg |
| title_full | An exploratory study on public participation of rural communities in the IDP public participation process : case study of Elsenburg |
| title_fullStr | An exploratory study on public participation of rural communities in the IDP public participation process : case study of Elsenburg |
| title_full_unstemmed | An exploratory study on public participation of rural communities in the IDP public participation process : case study of Elsenburg |
| title_short | An exploratory study on public participation of rural communities in the IDP public participation process : case study of Elsenburg |
| title_sort | exploratory study on public participation of rural communities in the idp public participation process case study of elsenburg |
| topic | Local government -- Citizen participation -- South Africa Community development -- South Africa Municipal government -- Public participation -- South Africa Public administration --Citizen participation -- South Africa Community participation -- South Africa UCTD |
| url | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/134442 |
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