AfriForum’s branch structures delivered service delivery wish lists to various municipalities in the Lowveld region of Mpumalanga during February this year.
This follows after the review process of the integrated development plans (IDP) for the next municipal budget period officially started and community organisations such as AfriForum have the opportunity to provide input by way of service delivery wish lists.
“The IDP is the single most important document related to the planning of municipal service delivery. Municipal budgets are determined by the content and needs addressed in the IDP. AfriForum therefore wants to ensure that IDPs indeed address community needs and that funds are made available to address these needs,” says Johann Weber, AfriForum’s Regional Coordinator for Mpumalanga East.
As part of its IDP initiative, AfriForum submitted service delivery wish lists to the Municipal Managers of Piet Retief, Ermelo, Belfast, Machadodorp, Dullstroom, Lydenburg, White River and Nelspruit.
“Although AfriForum uses the constitutional requirements of community involvement in the drafting of IDPs and municipal budget processes to the benefit of its members, the civil rights organisation follows a twofold strategy through which communities are mobilised to take care of themselves, as well as to create greater independence from Government by community-driven self-do actions,” Weber concludes.
Communities can become involved with the drafting of the municipal IDPs and budget processes by contacting their local AfriForum branch.