ABSTRACT
The 1990s witnessed the remarkable transformation of South African society and government from one of the more repressive to one of the most liberal on earth. Though the shift from ruthless, top-down apartheid ideology and state management to a democratic society and state has not been without its difficulties, it nonetheless remains one of the most dramatic and significant political and social transitions of the modern period (Waldmeir, 1997). The African National Congress (ANC)-led government is now striving to redress the widespread and deeply entrenched imbalances which represent the legacy of decades of apartheid policies. In planning for development in one of the most unequal societies in the world, the South African government has decided to strengthen both grassroots participation and delivery by placing considerable emphasis on what it terms 'developmental local government'. The government argues that the locus for such activity should be local government and that, 'the central responsibility of municipalities (is) to work together with local communities to find sustainable ways to meet their needs and improve the quality of their lives' (RSA, 1998a, p!7). In order to achieve this objective of 'developmental local government', local authorities are now expected to maximize both social development and economic growth and to work with communities to ensure that local economic and social conditions are conducive for the creation of employment opportunities (Nel and Binns, 2001). The implicit bond between participatory governance and development is clearly a key theme in South African policy and planning. Given the priority now being accorded to local government as the venue for participation, this chapter will largely focus on local governments, participation within them and associated development strategies.
