DISTRICT DEVELOPMENT MODEL
KEY MESSAGES
The President in the 2019 Presidency Budget Speech (2019) identified the “pattern of operating in silos" as a challenge which led to “lack of coherence in planning and implementation and has made monitoring and oversight of government's programme difficult". The consequence has been non optimal delivery of services and diminished impact on the triple challenges of poverty, inequality and employment.
The President further called for the rolling out of “a new integrated district based approach to addressing our service delivery challenges [and] localise[d] procurement and job creation, that promotes and supports local businesses, and that involves communities."
The new District Development Model aims to improve the coherence and impact of government service delivery with focus on 44 Districts and 8 Metros around the country as development spaces that can be used as centres of service delivery and economic development, including job creation.
The District Development Model has been approved by government structures, including Cabinet. The model will be piloted in two Districts and a Metro that have elements of Rural, Mining and Urban – “OR Tambo; Waterberg; Ethekwini".
A new integrated planning model for Cooperative Governance
- The District/Metro spaces offer the appropriate scale and arena for intergovernmental planning coordination.
- The District Model provides both an Institutional Approach and Territorial Approach (geographical space) focus.
- The 44 Districts and 8 Metros are developmental spaces (IGR Impact Zones) can be the strategic alignment platforms for all three spheres of government where One Plan for each space guides and directs all strategic investments and projects for transparent accountability.
- The District Model aims to address service delivery challenges and speed up service delivery and economic development, including job creation.
- All the 52 Plans will harmonise IDPs and create interrelated, interdependent as well as independent development hubs supported by comprehensive detailed plans.
The new District Development Model is anchored in the current government legislations and policies
- The new District Development Model brings to action the Khawuleza approach which is a call for accelerated service delivery.
- Under this model, district municipalities will be properly supported and adequately resourced to speed up service delivery.
- The Model takes forward key government plans and reinforces the existing policies geared to ensuring service delivery.
- The new model contributes to the achievements of the seven Apex Priorities announced by the President in the SoNA.
- The model signals a shift from using more 139 (1) to section 154 of the constitution emphasizing closer support to Local Government by both National and Provincial spheres.
- The new model brings to life the realization of the ideal for Cooperative Governance
Development will be pursued through single and integrated plans per district.
- The district-driven development model is directed at turning plans into action, and ensuring proper project management and tracking.
- District Development Model will be pursued through single and integrated plans per district which will be further synchronised with Integrated Development Plans in municipalities.
- The plans will elaborate the key transformation processes required to achieve long-term strategic goals and a desired future in each of the 44 districts and eight metros.
- Each district plan will outline the role of each sphere of government, prioritising the following:
- Managing urbanisation, growth and development;
- Supporting local economic drivers;
- Accelerating land release and land development;
- Investing in infrastructure for integrated human settlement, economic activity and the provision of basic services; and
- Addressing service delivery in municipalities.
The plan is an inter and intra governmental society-wide Social Compact
- The model prioritises social partnerships and collaboration with all sectors of society and communities in addressing service bottlenecks.
- The model aims to strengthen community participation and advocates for cohesive communities.
- The model places communities at the heart of service delivery and mobilising citizens and civil society to support the implementation of long-term plans that outline how best to improve the lives.
- It will have considerable impact if members of the community become active participants and make use of the available opportunity to do things differently with the new model.
- More importantly, citizens who have burning issues will be responded to immediately by municipalities.
A more efficient government is our priority
- The National Development Plan set course towards a developmental state motivated by 25 years of democracy experience
In realising vision 2030 we require collaboration between all sections of society and strong leadership by government.
- If we are to address the triple challenges of poverty, inequality and unemployment we need a state that is capable of playing a transformative and developmental role.
- This requires well run and effectively coordinated state institutions staffed by skilled public servants who are committed to the public good and capable of delivering consistently high-quality services for all South Africans.
- This model aims to overcome barriers to service delivery in government and create capacity to meet increasing expectations.
- It will help government reverse the decline in state capacity and restructure service delivery so it best serves our citizens.
The District Development Model will stimulate economic growth and benefit local entrepreneurs.
- The District Development Model is expected to develop, support and promote local entrepreneurs through prioritising local procurement of services and goods.
- Municipalities will be assisted to create an enabling environment for economic development and provide regulatory certainty in line with Back to Basic pillar of LED.
- By providing policy and regulatory certainty, municipalities will build public and business confidence in municipalities as places to live, work and invest.
The much needed resources will be channeled to realise the plan
- As the model seeks to secure maximum coordination and cooperation among the national, provincial and local spheres of government.
- The coordination will require that with effect from the 2020/21 Budget cycle - that national budgets and programmes be spatially referenced across the 44 districts and 8 Metros.
- Provincial government budgets and programmes will be spatially referenced to districts and metros in the respective provinces.
- Municipalities will express the needs and aspirations of communities in integrated development plans for the 44 districts and 8 Metros.
