Ekurhuleni Metro has a population of 2

2.9. Conclusion

2.9.1 Identifying good practise

It is difficult to identify good practise in relation to informal settlements, given that there is general recognition in the City of Johannesburg that the statutory forms of participation in the city are not enabling satisfactory levels of citizen involvement in the improvement of the lives of those living in informal settlements. Elements of good practice may lie in the potential of the new ‘people’s offices’ in the regions to bring the administration closer to the local residents.

2.9.2 Implications for national policy and frameworks

Implications for policy are similar to those of the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Council. The possibility of a new policy on informal settlement upgrading is welcoming to those tasked with translating an embracive and pro-poor sentiment from City politicians into actual practice on the ground. However, it appears that this will require a major shift in operating approach. Therefore the new policy should be accompanied by an extensive programme of capacity building. This should be directed not only at city officials, but also at ward councillors, ward committee members and local community organisations. A policy on informal settlement upgrading has to go beyond the development components of tenure, servicing and house construction (the current focus of informal settlement ‘upgrading’ in the City of Johannesburg), to incorporate a wider spectrum of municipal functions – schooling, economic development, health, etc. Therefore administrative structures will be required for coordination across the different sectors.

2.10. References:

Documents consulted:

Joburg, 2003a. Joburg Integrated Development Plan 2003/04. City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality, Johannebsurg.

City of Johannesburg, 2003b. Municipal Housing Development Plan. City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality, Johannebsurg.

City of Johannesburg, 2001. Sustainable Housing Strategy for the City of Johannesburg: Final Report. October. City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality, Johannesburg.

City of Johannesburg (undated). Informal Settlement Strategy. Housing Department, City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality, Johannesburg.

Cross, 2003. Workshop input recorded in “1^st Project Workshop: Debating Informal Settlement Policy, 3 April 2003” University of the Witwatersrand, Johannebsurg. INTERNET, http://www.wits.ac.za/informalsettlements/workshops.html, cited 27.08.04

Department of Housing, 2000. National Housing Code. Department of Housing, Pretoria.

Greater Johannesburg Metro Council, 2000. Metropolitan Housing Strategy. April. Greater Johannesburg Metropolitan Council, Johannesburg.

IDASA, 2001. The Establishment Process of Ward Committees. Institute of Democracy of South Africa, Periodic Articles, INTERNET, www.idasa.org.za, cited 15.07.04

SACN, 2004. State of the Cities Report 2004, South African Cities Network, Johannesburg.

Interviews:

Dlodlo, Nkosana, Assistant Director of the Policy and Research Unit, and Maguga, Ronald, Manager in the Policy and Research Unit, Department of Housing, City of Johannesburg 01.07.04. Interviewed by Marie Huchzermeyer, Shirley Manzini, John Nkuna.

1City of Tshwane

3.1 Introduction to City of Tshwane

The City of Tshwane is the capital of the Republic of South Africa and is located in the North-western part of the Gauteng Province. The economy of Tshwane is dominated by the government sector. The growth of the economy, however, is a result of the manufacturing (mainly automotive) industry (SACN, 2004).

In 2001, the total population of Tshwane was 1 985 983, and projected to increase to 2 193 596 by the end of 2004, despite a growth in manufacturing jobs. An analysis of formal employment in Tshwane indicates that nearly half of the city’s population is either unemployed or cannot find work (SACN, 2004; City of Tshwane, 2004)

3.2 Governance Structure

The City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality was established in October 2000, with an Executive Mayoral Committee system and ward committee structures. The governance institutions of Tshwane have the objectives of:

• 
  Ensuring democracy and accountability;
  
• 
  Enhancing service delivery;
  
• 
  Ensuring compliance with legislations that organize local government matters;
  
• 
  Improving administrative discipline; and
  
• 
  Ensuring public participation in decision making processes in the City.
  

(City of Tshwane, 2004)

The City administrative system of Tshwane is centralised, but with satellite offices representing the interface between the municipal departments and the public. With regard to the housing functions, these satellite offices generally deal with:

• 
  Subsidy administration;
  
• 
  Community liaison;
  
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  Management of informal settlements;
  
• 
  Project management;
  

• 
  Formalisation of informal settlements;
  
• 
  Rudimentary services, daily issues, and crises in the informal settlements; and
  
• 
  Hiring of security companies to monitor all informal settlements
  

(Dlamini, van den Berg and Minti, pers. com.)

A unique challenge that faces the City of Tshwane is that it crosses two municipalities. Largely tribal low-income residential areas in the north of the metropolitan area fall within the North West Province. The city therefore has to deal with two provincial governments. Some of the City’s informal settlements, through also under tribal authority, are within the borders of the North West Province (Dlamini, van den Berg, and Minti, pers. com).

Ward committees in the City of Tshwane have advisory powers and the right to be consulted on specific issues before approved by the council. The City sees their role mainly in the facilitation of local community participation in decisions which affect the local community, the articulation of local community interests, and the representation of these interests within the metropolitan government system (City of Tshwane, 2004). In tribal areas, ward structure interact with the tribal authorities.