ABSTRACT
Integrated development planning has long been acknowledged as being central to promoting sustainable development. In South Africa specifically, it has been more than 15 years since the introduction of integrated development planning into municipal planning practice. The UN 2030 Agenda for sustainable development frames the context within which global sustainability must be pursued. Sustainable Development Goal 11 (SDG 11) requires specific action from cities over the globe to ensure sustainability in the urban context. This chapter questions how the notion of integrated development planning can serve as a vehicle for the pursuit of SDG 11 in the South African context. Emphasis is placed on the integrated development plan (IDP) of the City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality. Johannesburg is South Africa’s largest and most populous city. Recently, the city reviewed and developed its 2016–2021 IDP. The IDP was developed in line with the city’s many national, regional and international commitments in mind, and is also aimed at ensuring sustainability in terms of SDG 11. The chapter critically reflects on some of the inferences that have been made on the basis of the City of Johannesburg’s IDP, and concludes with a number of findings and recommendations on how the notion of integrated development planning can serve as a vehicle for the pursuit of sustainability as envisioned in SDG 11 in the South African context.
