As residents in municipal areas that now cover the entire country, including both urban and rural areas, public participation in municipal affairs has become a legitimate right that must be utilised.
The majority of the public live under the impression that their only responsibility as far as local government is concerned, is to participate in the local government elections when councillors are elected to represent them in municipal councils.
This is but one important function which the public have.
Our municipal system has two cornerstones.
One is to promote developmental local government, the other is that of public participation.
Development is impossible without participation by those who are affected by the development process.
With that in mind, ample provision is made in the local government legislation for participation.
The only reason for the lack of participation is the fact that the public is not capacitated to know on what issues they can participate, and how this should be done.
Municipalities are inclined to believe that by publishing notices in the press and on their websites, they have complied with the legal prescriptions for participation as required by different laws on local government.
Some good examples of these are when they prepare integrated development plans, approve budgets, prepare valuation rolls and approve annual reports.
There are several other issues with which they are supposed to interact with their communities.
Among those, the most important one is the performance of the municipality and its managers.
The public should know how the municipality internally evaluates its performance, and how the performances of managers are evaluated.
Now for the main issue as to how participation should take place.
For the public, the first and most logic step to be taken is to get organised.
Establish residents associations on the widest possible basis. These associations should not be politically based and definitely not ethnicity based, as that would lead to polarisation in the community.
It should be based on all resident’s rights to keep the municipality accountable for sound and honest financial management, service delivery and good management.
Good management includes friendly interaction by officials with the public and the public with officials.
There must be efficiency from the side of the officials.
Not all members of the public understand a municipality’s administration and they have to be educated.
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