to hold Municipal Public Participation Conference
16 February 2007
The Department of Housing, Local Government and Traditional Affairs will be
hosting a Provincial Conference on Municipal Public Participation on 20 to 22
February 2007 at Coega Village in Port Elizabeth. The purpose of the provincial
conference is to get all three spheres of government, non-governmental
organisations and other relevant parties to develop a coherent public
participation programme and civil society mobilisation to support government
programmes.
Special emphasis will be made to tease out the role of local government in
support of the national government's development agenda. The conference will
focus on four areas that have been noted as very much critical or important in
achieving the desired level of community involvement in all government
programmes.
The targeted areas of focus will be on:
* developing a common understanding of all stakeholders in the Eastern Cape
Province about the National Policy Frame for Community Development
Workers
* integration and Co-ordination of government programmes using community
development workers and ward committees as agent of information
dissemination
* encouraging effective Public Participation of civil society in the programmes
and Policy Platform of democratic state
* Defining the role of community development workers and ward committees in
promoting of economic and youth development.
The conference comes at a time when national government through the
President's State of the Nation Address and in various platforms calls for
South Africans to take debates on national issues deep into all corners of our
society.
Public participation by the citizenry strengthens governance and democracy.
The government programme of taking government to the people through Imbizo
Programmes and through Ward Committees at local level boosts democracy.
Participation by citizens at various levels is essential to make our democratic
society work. In the light of strains emerging within our municipalities, the
Department has seen it necessary for a conference of this nature be organised
by bringing all relevant stakeholders around the table to find solutions
highlighted in the focus areas above.
Provincial and local government leadership, officials, national Department
of Provincial and Local Government, South African Local Government Association
(SALGA)-Eastern Cape (EC) and other relevant stakeholders will be attending the
event.
The registration for the conference will be on 19 February, from 17h00 to
19h00 and proceedings will start at 08h30 on the 20 - 22 of February 2007. The
media is invited.
Enquiries
Mbulelo Linda
Cell: 082 495 3067
E-mail: mbulelo.linda@dhlgta.ecape.gov.za
Issued by: Department of Housing, Local Government and Traditional Affairs,
Eastern Cape Provincial Government
16 February 2007
