Browsing by Author "Gumbi, Lihle."

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An analysis of public participation in the integrated development planning processes of the Hibiscus Coast Local Municipality, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
(2014) Gumbi, Lihle.; Lawrence, Ralph Bruce.; Rieker, Mark Ivan.
The importance of the concept of public participation continues to gain great momentum in the circles of local government in South Africa. Public participation is a way of ensuring that local government is responsive to that which the public prioritizes as their development needs. Public participation in South Africa is very important as it is the backbone of the democratic state that the 1994 general elections introduced. In response to the importance of public participation in the local government, the South African government has passed several statutes to ensure that substance and emphasis is given to the country’s local government sphere. These statutes include, amongst others, the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996, the Municipal Structures Act 1998, the Municipal Systems Act 2000 and the Municipal Finance Management Act 2003. It is at the local government sphere where the public participation is primarily applied in order to promote both good governance and a responsive local government. This research project is an analysis of public participation in the integrated development planning processes of the Hibiscus Coast Local Municipality. This study acknowledges that public participation is an important component of transformation and democratization of local government. Legislation alone cannot meet this requirement and more still needs to be done to truly enhance public participation in local government. This study found that despite legislation that provides for the structures that the public must use to participate in the integrated development planning processes in the Hibiscus Coast local municipality; there is a need for the Hibiscus Coast municipality to develop its own conceptualization and understanding of public participation. Moreover, proper mechanisms need to be established to enhance the participation of the local communities and stakeholders in the municipality’s integrated development processes. The study is primarily based on qualitative data collected from the Hibiscus Coast Local Municipality through personal interviews with councillors, officials and ward committee members, review of local government statutes and literature providing knowledge on the subject under study.
Challenges facing rural development in Ubuhlebezwe Municipality, South Africa.
(2018) Dlamini, Siboniso Goodman.; Proches, Cecile Naomi Gerwel.; Gumbi, Lihle.
This study focuses on the challenges facing rural development in the Ubuhlebezwe Municipality. The introduction of rural development was the first progressive step taken by the South African government to address socioeconomic development problems and challenges faced by rural people in South Africa. The majority of people living in rural areas in South Africa live below the poverty line including youth, children, women and the elderly. Rural development thus involves helping the poorest among those who seek a livelihood in the rural areas to demand and control more of the benefits of development. Rural development is defined as the improvement of the spatial and socioeconomic environment of rural space, which leads to the enhancement of the individual’s ability to care for and sustain his/her well-being. The main aim of this study was to determine the challenges facing rural development in the Ubuhlebezwe Municipality. A qualitative research approach was utilised for this study, with purposive sampling being used. Interviews were conducted with 15 respondents. Data were collected by means of face-to-face interviews, before being thematically analysed to interpret the findings. The findings revealed that Ubuhlebezwe Municipality faces numerous challenges, including a lack of resources to improve service delivery to the community; skills shortages; inadequate revenues; insufficiency of financial resources; low agriculture production; a high unemployment rate; a funding shortfall from government; weak intergovernmental relations with the district, provincial and national government; and poor engagements with, and involvement of stakeholders in municipal rural development programmes. The key recommendation of the study is that various stakeholders should provide support to the municipality to help them develop their capacity to manage rural development programmes and projects. The study makes recommendations on options the municipality could consider to improve service delivery, as well as options for future research. Creating job opportunities across the agricultural sector will improve economic growth, promote infrastructure development and enhance service delivery.