By Nangamso Mabindla
6 April 2006

BUFFALO City residents will get the chance to be part of local government this month as the municipality presents its R1,8-billion draft budget to its people.

The Integrated Development Plan (IDP) hearings, which started on Wednesday, 5 April, allow residents to comment on issues affecting their communities. "This is a new approach to local government to promote the principle of public participation by bringing the government closer to the people," said Mamnkeli Ngam, the City's senior communications officer.

According to Ngam the IDP was an approach to planning that involved the entire municipality and its citizens in finding the best solutions to achieving good long-term development.

"It is a super plan that gives an overall framework for development. It aims to co-ordinate the work of the municipality in a coherent [way] to improve the quality of life for all the people living in its area." It was important that people participated in the process as it gave them a chance to tell City officials and councillors of their concerns and priorities.

Some of these included free basic water and electricity, the improvement of roads, housing and employment. "This also takes into account the existing conditions and problems and links them to available resources for development. The plan will look at economic and social development for the Buffalo City Municipality as a whole," Ngam said.

Some of the places that will be visited for IDP hearings are King William's Town, Dimbaza, Cambridge, Gompo and Mdantsane. The hearings will end on Wednesday, 19 April.