The Department of Local Government and Traditional Affairs in the North West has recently assembled a town planning support forum in its endeavour to salvage and augment the sector in enhancing development in the province, this forum is an inter-governmental structure which will function as a hub where planners across the province can share information and exchange best practices.
Various sector departments incorporating this forum are Rural Development and Land Reform, North West Office of the Premier’s planning commission, Human Settlements, Public Works Roads and Transport, Water Affairs, South African Local Government Association (SALGA) and the South African Council for Planners (SACPLA).
The Chairperson of the forum Ditshaba Makhate, who is the Local Government Director for Municipal Development and Planning, said that the Forum aims to promote and make Town Planning recognised in the North West province as it has been realised that most municipalities in the province still experience poverty and underdevelopment.
That some of the municipalities do not have the capacity to implement certain strategies and that Spatial Planning Framework (SDFs) is too vague to link to Land Use Management Systems.
“We are dealing with development issues in a proactive manner by creating an information sharing platform and benchmarking strategies where we, as a department can equip and capacitate municipalities with the necessary tools and relevant skills to discharge their mandates in accordance with the National and Provincial Spatial Planning and Land Use Bill,” said Makhate.
He further added that, “Planning legislations over the years have not provided equal and adequate resources to all. There is no link between actual land use activities and land use policies, as a result urban areas progress at an immense speed while rural areas experience little or no progress in terms of development planning.” It is high time that town planners are recognised as they play a pivotal role in municipal service delivery he added.
For enquiries contact:
Dineo Lolokwane, Spokesperson
Cell: 072 542 8444
