When citizens feel unheard in council chambers, they often find their voice in the streets—revealing the gap between participation promised and participation practiced
 

Author:

MR Maziwisa & C Stevens
 

Summary:

This article examines the basic features of the legal and policy framework for public participation and assesses the extent to which e-participation has taken root in municipalities to augment traditional forms of participation in South Africa. It highlights transparency as a precondition for public participation. The article establishes that the legal and policy framework for public participation in South Africa provides vast opportunities for democratic participation that go beyond just voter representation. However, communities do not always make use of public participation mechanisms created by municipalities. They often invent their own spaces to voice their concerns. Furthermore, municipalities do not always make information publicly available in a way easily understandable by their communities to enable effective public participation. Whereas the law requires every municipality to establish and maintain a website to enhance digital participation, the article presents empirical evidence which shows that municipal websites are not yet an effective mechanism of fostering public participation due to a number of reasons. The evidence also suggests that there is culture of lack of transparency particularly with regard to the publication of municipal procurement information which is inhibiting public publication.


Link to book chapter