Parliament, sectoral Parliament, Children’s Parliament, and Traditional Leaders’ Parliament.
Notwithstanding these initiatives there are notable challenges including the lack of
participation of minority communities, especially whites, in legislative processes and the
impact of limited public resources for ensuring full public participation. Furthermore, there
are also some challenges at the level of attendance of public education workshops, and the
absence of educational materials. There is also the challenge of lack of familiarity with the
issues that get discussed in some of the public fora, taking into account the levels of
illiteracy, particularly in less privileged semi-urban and rural areas.
Another important development is that some legislatures such as KwaZulu-Natal and
Gauteng have passed legislation which provides for the submission of petitions by members
of the public and have also established dedicated petition standing committees to receive
petitions and deliberate on them.11 The impact of this initiative in helping communities have
their voice heard and also hold political leaders to account is potentially great.
In the Public Service Commission Monitoring and Evaluation Report (2011), provincial use of
various public participation forums is represented in the following way:
The Utilisation of Public Participation Forums
Description
EC
1.
Izimbizo
2.
Councillor and
Ward
Committees
Provincial
Steering
Committees
Public meetings
3.
4.
5.
Support
Organisation
6.
Speakers
Forums
Workshops
7.
8.
GP
.
KZN
LP
MP
NC
NW
WC
% Provinces
78%
67%
56%
56%
44%
Traditional
Leadership
Client
Satisfaction
Surveys
10. Lekgotla
FS
44%
33%
22%
9.
TOTAL
2
22%
10%
6
6
4
3
3
5
4
6
Source: Public Service Commission Monitoring and Evaluation Report, 2011.
As indicated in the table above, certain provinces have strengths in the organization and
effective implementation of certain forums. Forums of public participation, such as izimbizo,
need serious review and strengthening. At national level this review focuses on issues such
as: access to information before izimbizo, also enhancing stakeholder consultation beyond
these public meetings, choice of appropriate venues, choice of suitable times for all public
participation forums and ensuring follow-up and feed-back on issues raised. Research was
11
Buccus, I & Hicks, J (2011): ‘Civil society and participatory policy making in South Africa: Gaps and
continuities’, in J. Daniel (teal): New South African Review, 2, Wits University Press
34