Contextualising the National Development Plan for enhanced service delivery: Considerations for planning in KwaZulu-Natal

Abstract

Integrated Development Plans (IDPs) are the planning instruments directed atstrategies for enhancing service delivery in local government. As a consequence,capacity initiatives are driven by these plans to address prioritised developmentalneeds. The key to establishing such initiatives is informed by the National DevelopmentPlan (NDP). This Plan changed the planning regime in South Africa, culminatingin a comprehensive planning hierarchy for local, provincial and national spheresof government. In light thereof, the article theoretically examines the alignment ofplanning work procedures in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) in ensuring that developmentplanning is 'on track'. To this end, the KZN Provincial Planning Commission (PPC)developed a Provincial Growth and Development Strategy (PGDS) aligned with theNational Plan. It follows then that District Municipalities formulated a District Growthand Development Plan (DGDP) with the same time horizon as the National Planleading to 2030. Municipal Integrated Development Plans (IDPs) then becomeinstruments to implement the Provincial Strategy in five-year periods. Against thebackground of action-based Batho-Pele Principles as necessary determinants, keyissues may be addressed, whilst contextualising long-term development planningand implementation as the NDP-PGDP-IDP praxis. Cumulatively, planners in KZNmust respond to this new plan hierarchy innovatively by integrating and aligning withthe NDP at other planning levels in an ethical, accountable and socially responsiblemanner addressing poverty, inequality and unemployment. The article concludesthat the trajectory of development planning in KZN is strategically linked to nationaland long-term initiatives and work procedures for enhanced service delivery.