Urban Development Stakeholders Interacting 1n Practice: The Case of Kraaifontein East

Jens Kuhn

Housing Research Manager: Cape Metropolitan Council

1. INTRODUCTION memberships change all the time. actors (stakeholders) themselves. This may be regarded as more Secondly, the relationship between In 1993 a process was launched to important than the plan eventually the actors (as representatives) and prepare a structure plan for the produced or adopted (Mandelbaum, their constituency. Finally, one eastern parts of the former 2000). And this building of a new must consider how the actors Kraaifontein Municipal area. The community is premised on the related to the essence of the Kraaifontein Joint Planning improvement of process (termed here, the "activity"). Committee was established as a The process can be viewed as an vehicle to achieve maximum public relationships between interest ongoing flow of events, each event input and participation. The groups or individuals that at the impacting and altering in some way Committee was abandoned in late outset may have been antagonistic, these sets of relationships. The 1994 in favour of a conventional or even confrontational over the most fundamental event, I planning practice, namely following issues at hand. The analytic maintain, is the changing nature of the rrurumum procedural approach followed in this paper is the process activity. It is this prescriptions contained m the therefore to track the changes that activity, and how the different relevant legislation. the relationships underwent in the interest groups relate to and course of the planning process. understand it, that determines Numerous theoretical models for The strengthening or deterioration whether the participants forge a critically assessing processes have of relationships is induced by new community or remain divided. been offered in planning literature communication. But This framework is a guide for the over the years. In this paper a communication must be analysis. synthesis of models is used to understood in the broad sense. It critically review the case of the is not purely about what is said; 3 ORIGIN OF THE KRAAI­ Kraaifontein process. The paper is but how it is said; who said it; FONTEIN EAST STRUCTURE divided into three sections. The under what circumstances; in PLAN (KESP) first briefly reviews the elements which place; with what The initiative to produce a structure deemed important by the accompanying gestures; in what plan for the eastern parts of theoretical models. With these tone; etc. Kraaifontein had its origin in a elements in mind, the paper then much more local development: presents a brief Table 1 represents an attempt to namely the appearance of an history of the process as it account for all the different factors informal settlement called unfolded, emphasising those leading to changes in relationship. Bloekombos. Its appearance was dimensions in the process pertinent These factors may be loosely by no means unique. Similar cases to the subsequent evaluation. The grouped as speech acts, the speech could be discovered all over South last section critically assesses the situation and symbolic Africa at the time. process with the intention of communication (or non-speech uncovering some of the possible communicatives). They have been The period 1991 to late 1993 was a reasons for the failure of the drawn for theoretical writings as time of acute political division at process. indicated. Ideally one would the national level. On one hand, systematically address each factor the ruling National Party 2 A FRAMEWORKFOR ANALYSIS in tum. However, since no taped government was trying earnestly to transcripts of the process are deliver housing and services in An extremely important measure of available a detailed reading of the the hope of gaining greater success in any participative dynamics is not possible. Raw support. On the other the planning process is the extent to material is derived from personal democratic movement was which it has built a new attendance of some of the meetings pressing for radical change at community ; a community around a and a set in-depth of interviews every possible opportunity and in specific purpose. Community must with interest groups. the process was sorting out its not be simply understood as a leadership hierarchy. Both group of people in a defmed area. Drawing on some of the ideas groupings had their sights firmly We are all members of multiple offered by Abbott (1996), three set on the general election of April communities simultaneously, and types of relationship are our discernible, and important. 1994. Firstly, that between the different

5 Norms Factors influencing / altering relationships Communicatives

Universal Pragmatics 1. Comprehensible Speech 1. Is jargon used? Is a foreign language used? (Forester, 2. Legitimate Speech 2. Is it relevant and appropriate for that role 1980) 3. Sincere Speech player? 4. Speaking the truth 3. Is it meant? 4. Is it true? Speech Situations Equal opportunity to .... Issues: (Kemp, 1988) 1. Speak 1. Were speaking times even? 2. Interpret and problem- 2. Amount of questioning done? atise 3. Did participants feel free? 3. Regulate proceedings 4. Who registered objections? 4. Express attitude and feeling Symbolic • Venue location? Communication • Furniture Arrangement? (Bolan, 1980) • Participant's dress? • Time of day? • Language used • Attendance? • Number of representatives and their seating? Significant events Media coverage and responses? Nature of the process • How "open", flexible is the government in the process in terms of its own (Abbott, 1996) imperatives and needs? How committed is it to the outcome of the process? • How complex is the process? How many actors are involved? What is the nature of the central activity? • What kind of participation process are we confronted with? Relationships (given How did the actors relate to each other? to the central activity? and to their own that it is a "negotiated constituency? development" Process) How did the relationships change and why? (Abbott, 1996) TABLE 1 FACTORS LEADING TO CHANGES IN RELATIONSHIP.

Saff (1994: 377) has offered the acquire a piece of suitable land and heightened the discontent, since concept of the "deracialisation of provide basic services for the resolving the problem was not space", as opposed to the slower community. The CPA had recently understood as making the process of residential desegregation completed a site and service squatters permanent residents. In also apparent in . He scheme called . It is a meeting with the then Member of is referring to the "... spontaneous situated slightly south of the the Executive Committee (MEC) of establishments of informal squatter settlement, and on it some the CPA these groups were given settlements on prime land either sites were available. The the assurance that a structure plan within or adjacent to many affluent Bloekombos community chose not for the wider region would be areas". One such case was the to move, however, preferring prepared so as to deal with all their appearance of Bloekombos on the instead an in situ upgrade. concerns systematically. They outskirts of the residential parts of would have a direct input and the Kraaifontein Municipal area. A second site was chosen for through the plan achieve some Bloekombos has always had some development. It was owned by the certainty regarding the future of the squatters: 20 structures in 1988, Department of Correctional wider area. Such a plan also fitted but this suddenly increased to over Services, and had been earmarked neatly into the operational 1510 by 1993 (Cape Metropolitan fora new prison. Being public land rationality of having a generalised Council, 1993). A more recent it was readily available to plan in place, the relevant land

aerial photo survey shows 2555 accommodate the squatters. This parcels designated and then only shacks in 1996 and 2698 by May site was located directly alongside undertake physical implementation. 1998 (Cape Metropolitan Council, the existing Bloekombos settlement 1998) and was acceptable to the The CPA also committed itself to Bloekombos community the active involvement of all The site upon which the squatting leaderships. The CPA, under stakeholders in the drafting took place was owned by the pressure from the local farmers, the process. In an attempt not to pre­ erstwhile House of Representatives HoR and the Kraaifontein empt anything, the CPA tentatively (HoR) charged with all coloured Municipality to resolve the problem, chose the generic title Kraaifontein affairs under the tri-cameral secured the property and East Structure Plan for the plan. system. The new occupants, immediately began with the This has not been changed to date. however, where black and not engineering works. Proceeding It was from this set of conflicts that . coloured. The HoR thus requested with construction, however, KESP originated. the then Cape Provincial Administration (CPA), responsible 5 Personal Communication with for "general" (and black) affairs, to Andreas Fourie of PA we

6 3.1 Formation of the KESP organisation had the right to be organisations applied to the process represented. Support- NGO's were secretariat of the Joint Committee, In July 1993 a firstgeneral meeting excluded from direct and it would be on top of the was arranged by the CPA, to which representation, and they accepted it agenda of the next meeting. 65 organisations and individuals so. Each interest group was were invited, to discuss the awarded a vote (see Annexure A for The purpose of the process was launching and drafting of the KESP. a listing of the recognised interest agreed to as follows: " om The CPA's letter was more than an groups) in the unfortunate event of voorsiening te maak vir die ordelike invitation though. In the opening there being a deadlock over any ruimtelike ontwikkeling van die sentence it mentions that site issue. Representatives were gebied in die aangesig van 732/6 (the Prison Site) is being permitted to bring along as many versnellende verstedeliking" 7• This proclaimed a Less Formal delegates as they wished. Several was general enough to be widely Townships Development Area which other organisations or departments accepted as a basis to proceed. paved the way for the CPA to had observer status, mostly Defming the precise limits of the appoint contractors in August, because they were so marginal to planning area frequently occupied 1993. The effect was to implant all the process. The Joint Committee the early meetings, but was never the hostilities ansmg in the would articulate the problems in fmally settled. Fig 2 gives an Bloekombos situation, into the new the area while a Technical Sub­ indication of the working plan KESP process. These hostilities Committee would translate these boundaries. never left the process, and the into appropriate policy responses Bloekombos matter never fmally left (see Fig 1). In the interests of 3.2 Order of Business the KESP process either. But it openness, any organisation wishing The KESP proposals did not exist in was no longer the central issue 6 to send a representative to partake a spatial planning vacuum. A in the work of the Technical planning exercise at sub-regional The first meeting began late and Committee could do so. As things scale was also being undertaken by absent were several community turned out, the Joint Committee the Regional Services leaders. These tended to be those would meet in total 8 times over the Council, which involved going to the who had been active in the period from July 1993 to November wider Joostenberg public. Not to Bloekombos process. Once under 1994. The process also included cause unnecessary confusion way, what immediately became other meetings though: the among those communities involved clear was that such meetings would Technical Sub-Committee, focusing in both, an attempt was made to in future require more systematic on production, met 9 times; lead members to distinguish structuring. To the CPA it also numerous bilaterals between actors between different levels of planning. became clear that it would not be were held, a Finance Sub­ able to chair them easily in future. Committee was established which In the earliest meetings the The CPA, while in theory the state met once; and finally, information procedure was to permit the town might be neutral, was not viewed sessions where held with planner to present the draft that way by stakeholders. A community groupings. proposals, followed by comments professional facilitator acceptable to from the floor. In the course of the all chaired the second meeting. It At its first formal meeting the Joint process this pattern changed. Then was held in a different venue, Committee concentrated on two the first part of the each meeting approximately 1km further away issues. Firstly, agreement was was taken up by matters related to from the Bloekombos settlement in sought on rules of procedure, media representation on the Joint the heart of the new Kraaifontein coverage, a quorum percentage, the Committee, and report-backs on commercial and administrative frequency of meetings, and the like. special attempts to get selected centre. Secondly, agreement was sought on community bodies interested in the the nature and scope of the work to substance of the process and also At this meeting the Joint Structure be done. to attend the meetings. As the Planning Committee (Joint process continued, discussions Committee) came to life. This Without objection the gathering around these issues consumed ever Committee, composed of a accepted that meetings would take more of the meetings, until fmally representative from each of the place at the Kraaifontein public no time was left to get to the interest groups would vet all the library, once a month, in the late planning matters. The intended planning proposals. The principle afternoon. The Technical Sub­ practice was that the Technical was entertained that each Committee would also meet once a Committee would be asked to month, soon after the Joint present short reports on, for 6 Practical difficulties associated with Committee. All other meetings instance, details of the feasibility of having to move the squatters to the would be ad-hoe. Initially 66% of small-scale agriculture, land uses new Prison Site remained unresolved. vote-holding organisations had to more conducive to maintaining an This meant that ongoing liaison with the be present to make the meeting urban edge, or having soil samples Bloekombos residents had to continue quorate. Later in the process this done for the proposed grave yard. outside the KESP process. Two was reduced, so that at least half The ever declining level of progress processes were thus running the vote-holding, plus an extra one, concurrently. Debates within KESP can would be in attendance. The exact be read to have happened at three procedures for admitting new levels: national empowerment politics, member organisations to the 7 English Translation "... to provide for urban management issues and process, and how existing ones orderly spatial development of the area structure plan issues. should exit the process, were never in the face of increasing urbanisation." quite clear. In practice new

7 (Chaired by independent facilitator) - JO IN T STRUCTURE PLANNING COMMIT TEE (monthly meeting for discussion) -

Problems and Issues Fed !Through for Attention "',.. I Final Plan Formal (Chaired by Town Planning Professional) I SUB -COMMITT EE Proposals TECHNICAL PLANNING

U rban Financing Edge Issue drive problem solving groups if } and as required FIG 1 FLOWCHART OF INTEREST GROUPS AND ISSUES acutely frustrated planners, and prominent interest group. Having The Kraaifontein East Farmers particularly the CPA, which bore to accommodate the Bloekombos Community sought the reverse. the costs of the process. In this residents in their area dissatisfied Having their farms adjacent to the case public participation, they felt, the Municipality. Yet this situation Bloekombos settlement, they was taken too far. was unlikely to change. The desired the public sector to acquire Attention throughout the process compromise position put forward their farms for low cost-housing focused almost solely on an area no was to physically isolate the rather than being concerned with more than 10% of the total squatters from Kraaifontein's the limiting of urban growth. In planning area, and this was the existing development. The Council's planning terms it meant providing immediate surrounding of the proposals placed an industrial area for urban development beyond the Bloekombos settlement. to the north, show-grounds and a proposed edge, and this indeed was nature reserve to the east, and a the demand they made. Debate and questioning could large cemetery to the south of the happen in the language of choice existing settlement of Bloekombos. Also along the back sat the since a translator was always The Municipality would also not representative of the Joostenberg available. At first the medium of settle for anything less than formal Aksie Komitee. This was a body communication was primarily housing for the community. Why representing the interests of the . This gradually changed the Municipality continued to smallholding property owners in the over time, partly perhaps because it participate in the process while the study area. Of particular interest was not the chairperson's first development of serviced erven was to them was the protection of their language, partly because in progress was because it smallholdings and not allow further translations took long, but largely presented the promise of preventing subdivision. In terms of such an also because long speeches in any further squatting. agenda they pushed strongly for the Xhosa caused unease. Language, imposition of a green belt, the in a symbolic way, constantly Along the back end of the U­ protection of the natural heritage brought national political sentiment formationed tables the farmer (JAK, 1994) of the region, and also into the process. This was organisations tended to sit. Urban invoked a long-standing grudge reinforced by the boisterous sprawl was their prime concern. they had against the old Divisional contributions made by the khaki­ Accordingly, their interest lay in the Council, namely to service the clad, bearded representative from establishment of a meaningful limit smallholdings properly. the Blanke Inwonersvereeniging 8. to urban development - an urban edge. At one point a special task To the right of the chairperson sat 3.3 An Interpretation of Agendas group was constituted specifically officials from other government Kraaifontein Municipality, to consider the precise alignment of departments, such as the RSC, the represented by a councillor and the edge in detail, in which their neighbouring Town Council of never accompanied by less than two representative took a lead role. , national departments officials, made two submissions on This group took as a point of and other CPA departments. Rather the greater Bloekombos area. The departure the alignment suggested than taking strong and substantive Town Council's team sat to the left by the Joostenberg sub-regional positions, their participation in the of the 6hairperson, at the tables plan, and never made further proceedings was mostly confined to which were arranged in large U progress. Since the line ran reporting back on requests made at formation before the chairperson. immediately along the Bloekombos earlier meetings or answering They were by far the most settlement, as well as the proposed questions. resettlement site, the same 8 English. White Resident's dilemma faced them as was facing The Cape Provincial Administration, Association the Joint Committee. later known as the Provincial Administration: Western Cape

8 (PA:WC), regarded itself as the Municipality seems to have run out. department. This meeting dissolved client. It was not especially The meeting with a demand to the Joint Committee, though not in interested in the form of the final know the purpose of the entire that many words. It was plan, but rather that a plan, with exercise if no representatives from emphasised that the meeting would which local all interest groups Bloekombos or Wallacedene ever be forreport-back purposes only, so would be content, was forthcoming. attended. Hereby, it clearly no quorum was needed. This would meet their line function reflected its understanding of the requirements with minimum bad process throughout, namely to From then on, the traditional and political publicity in a very trying resolve the squatter problem at very tight reading of the Land Use period. Not once throughout the Bloekombos. With similar Planning Ordinance participation process did the CPA express the disregard forthe formal agenda, the procedures would be followed. This need to reach a settlement on the Northpine Residents Association involves mailing draft contents of Bloekombos problem through the tabled a request on behalf of a the plan out to interest groups for plan. To have a plan in place prior newly formed umbrella body: the comment and posting a notice in to development was part of its Kraaifontein Community Forum the local newspaper. The response operational rationality. (KCF). Its first request was to period ends within 40 days, after equalise voting power on the Joint which the Minister may approve the The venue was large, yet there was Committee between the statutory plan. Formal comments on the never enough seating available at and non-statutory sectors. The plan are still awaited from the the tables. Those not wanting to be terminology "statutory" and "non­ respective local authorities: only more than observers from the statutory" sector intruded on the then will it be approved. outset, such as the media and local process from the local government residents usually chose to sit along restructuring debate. The request Bloekombos residents are still the walls away from the tables. As angered many of the participants, squatting on the same piece of land it happened these seats were also particularly the politicians they did in 1992. A total of 200 where representatives from the participating in the process. It serviced sites are lying unutilised coloured Management Committees echoed the immanent shift in on the Prison Site. A minimum and civic-association political power, which was a highly maintenance programme is in representatives sat. On the whole sensitive question at the time. The place, funded by the PA :WC. So these groupings did not participate request effectively terminated the where did things go wrong? How in debate at the level of spatial meeting in that it was no longer can these extra -ordinarily wasteful planning. The few contributions quorate. In an attempt to rescue efforts be avoided in future? they did make were very general the process the facilitators first Should there be more participation speeches with, at best, an indirect approached the CPA and then each in future, or less? Or should there bearing on the planning proposals. of the discontented participants be a different process altogether? individually. From the start, identifying and 4 AN EVALUATION achieving attendance from resident Although the KCF's request was not associations in Scottsdene, accommodated agreement could be The literature on participatory Scottville, Summerville and reached which saw the KFC as processes is replete with ideas on Bernadino Heights proved difficult observer participants henceforth. what aspects are important to despite repeated attempts. Why this The other participants were also account for in the analysis of any was so is difficult to say, and would convinced to attend the following process. Table 1 listed some of require detailed interviews with the month's meeting. On 21 April, these. Since proceedings of the individuals involved. The reasons days before the national election, KESP process were not tape­ are likely to range between the CPA proposed that attention recorded, some of these criteria are problems of capacity, that structure should be refocused on plan- difficult to explore. Moreover, the planning was the wrong vehicle making, and that the Joint process cannot be classed with through which to have their Committee not convene for three processes such as commissions of concerns raised, and their choice months to allow the consultants to enquiry, public hearings or not to participate due to their approach each interest group tribunals for which such analytic particular reading of the wider individually and prepare a plan. frameworks also seek to cater. The political environment of the time. The product would then be KESP process was a political It may also be that well organised presented at the next Joint process the substance of which was ratepayers simply never emerged Committee meeting. urban development and the under the old Management objective to reach a negotiated Committee system. At a meeting in Six months later, on 10 November settlement. November 1993 they were all 1994, the Joint Committee met present and immediately given voter again. It was conducted under the 4.1 The Activity : From Com­ status, which raised the figure fora chairmanship of Mr Pieter Marais, munity Issues to Urban Issues quorum to 11. SANCO Minister of Local Government and The informal settlement of representatives from Bloekombos Development Planning. He Bloekombos grew rapidly in 1991, and W allacedene still did not thunderously asserted that the to the point where it attracted attend. Committee had made insufficient national attention by policy progress, and that if this were the analysts. It became a testing 3.4 The Collapse and Reinvention way m which participation ground for differing urban policy of the Process progressed, as democratically positions. On the one hand, the On 3 March 1994 patience on the elected minister, he would have to state was still committed to the part of the Kraaifontein undertake the planning within his delivery of serviced sites according

9 to its organisational and expected an increase in produce daily during this period television bureaucratic rationality. On the theft; and the Municipality of visuals would feature khaki-clad other, progressive policy analysts Kraaifontein which would have to white right militants making were eager to illustrate that urban resume the administration and provocative statements in upgrade projects must be achieved maintenance of the services to be Afrikaans. Select representatives of through community participation, provided, all had a direct interest in the Kraaifontein process seemed to and in this particular case that in the process. relish in reproducing these images. situ upgrades can be financially feasible and socially acceptable. With this increase in the number of 4.2 The Activity: From Urban This excessive spotlight on primmy actors the process must be Issues to Plan Drafting Bloekombos completely altered the regarded as a form of "negotiated It may have been useful to set up a nature of the activity. The process development" 10 (Friedman, 1993). negotiating forum 11 at this stage, was no longer about issues related The complexity of the process is where actors could confront each to the improvement of Bloekombos' significantly stepped up. other with their demands, fears and living conditions but about policy Representatives of the Bloekombos needs. However, the CPA's agendas. The public participation and Wallacedene communities felt recommendation to prepare a land process could no longer be viewed themselves outnumbered. The use plan as mechanism for in the "community development" most they could now win from the resolving the problem was accepted (Ekong & Sekoya, 1982) sense, or process was to be assured they unchallenged. Again the CPA's the "community management" 9 could remain on the land they suggestion clearly stems from its (Korten, 1989) sense, where the occupied. Given that forced operational rationality: structure only real actors are the community removals were not likely during this plan before layout plan, and layout and the state. By definition thus time they really need not have plan before construction. This the process can no longer be fully partaken in the process. Indeed, decision gave the activity a inclusive. It will have to rely on support NGO's advised them to ask particular flavour, which holds representation. The Bloekombos for a de-linking of the two implications for how actors relate to process, however, which I believe processes, since in terms of their and view the activity, in tum should have sought inclusiveness needs there was little to be gained shaping their contribution. in its process chose to rely on an from the protracted KESP process. extremely small number of this shift in emphasis from • Government's project community representatives. When Bloekombos' concerns to wider The effect of opting for plan the CPA, acting in line with its urban issues produced a process preparation as the mechanism for operational imperatives, decided to environment starkly resembling the resolving the problem, rather than acquire a piece of land and develop national political polarisation opting for a negotiated development it in the hope that the Bloekombos during 1993. On the one hand, process, was that public residents would resettle, it were the disenfranchised groups, participation was viewed as public inadvertently introduced a further the ANC-SACP Alliance, the involvement in what is essentially a group of actors into the process. democratic movement or the non­ public sector function town The Department of Correctional statutory sector of society . On the planning. This is participation of Services which owned the Prison other, was the establishment, or the the purist British kind (Bruton & Site; the Department of Transport statutory side . So although all of Nicholson, 1987). So understood, which held a reserve for a national the actors had particular and officials viewed the process as one road: the neighbouring farmers who frequently very different interests, of the public participating in the polarisation tendencies were planning process, rather than the 9 Korten (1989) defines Community constantly exerting themselves, public sector getting involved in the Management as follows: Community as clouding the real issues, and resolution of what is essentially an simplifying them. In the early used by him " ...comes from the field of urban process. Inadvertently, meetings community leaders were government began marginally to ecology, referring simply to an still in attendance, but over time close again, and saw itself as the interacting population of organisms regional ANC and SANCO members dominant player - the one to (individuals) living in a common came to represent the community. terminate the process at any point. location. Competing interests are The polarisation was symbolically assumed to be a natural feature of reinforced through dress. Almost human communities, and one of the 11 In the forum a "negotiated concerns in the development of 1° Friedman's (1993) paper uses the development" could have been community management systems is term Negotiated Urban Development. employed. This involves 1) all with the strengthening of mechanisms He does not try to define it or generate stakeholders tabling their needs, 2) all for effective and equitable management a conceptual construct. He uses the stakeholders committing themselves to of such conflict. Another distinctive term to home in on a particular type of finding a solution and to respect other feature of the community management processes; they are urban based, participants' needs, 3) compromising on perspective is a concern with complex in that they involve too many their demands and holding other parties community control and management of interests and groups to be inclusive, to the agreement. Unlike a structure operate under time and resource planning process, stakeholders not only productive resources, which goes well constraints, and revolve around make demands, but also make beyond a more conventional concern development. Such processes must contributions and give undertakings: eg. with participation and implementation of rely on representation. This excludes paying for services, and delivering externally controlled development many political processes which general services. This presupposes strong projects". (p 2) political theories on process attempt to links between leaders, and the accommodate. constituency.

10 No doubt, this is also how the other Secondly, additional issues different actors' ability to actors understood the process. appeared on the agenda, which participate in comfort was from a debating point of view compromised. A more serious • Technical inequality re- advantaged the town planners, and consequence, however, was that inforced which are issues not necessarily actors would have had difficulty Using the formulation of a plan as introduced or defended by any reporting back to their the basis of communication does actor. Examples of these in the constituency, straining that not preclude meaningful negotiating KESP process included lengthy relationship. Actors were never from taking place. However, such explanations on planning required to engage their an approach requires a certain level constructs such as the hierarchy of constituency on the crisp of conceptual thinking from all plans, relevant legislation such as formulation of their needs from the actors, otherwise certain the Land Use Planning Ordinance, process, and to relay that to the participants are put at, even if they and that structure plans are not meeting. merely feel at, a disadvantage. finance linked 12, in the early A negotiated development When plan making is the central meetings. At later meetings approach would not have precluded activity frank and open dominant issues took on a more the production of a structure plan, communication is complicated concrete form, but were still not since the CPA is a legitimate actor significantly. Needs cannot be particularly dear to any of the with its own demands on the directly presented for discussion, participants. These included the process. It would no doubt have but must be translated into spatial loss of agricultural land, the facilitated a greater probing of each terms. Aspatial issues are virtually aligriment of an urban edge, east­ other's motives, expectations and not admitted to the process. This west and north-south transport fears. A far better understanding of was clearly the case in KESP. The linkages, and nature conservation. each other's circumstances could Northpine Residents Association, Such discussions favoured possibly have emerged. Moreover, SANCO Wallacedene, Scottsdene metropolitan stakeholders and instead of using the argument of Residents Association and others public sector departments. having to consult their constituency made no contributions with a direct as a delaying tactic, representatives bearing on the plan, while the 5. EXPECTATIONS would have had to do so far more Municipality presented completed This assertion is best underscored frequently than they did, with the spatial alternatives or plans. These by considering the Municipality's explicit intention of formulating events communicated more than demand from the process to their needs, or reporting back on what the plans presented, but also address the Bloekombos squatting commitments made. suggested that this is a technical issue; the Joosten berg exercise. Any actors without Aksiekomitee's submission to have 6. CONCLUSION technical aid would be at a water supply and road resurfacing The CPA launched the Kraaifontein disadvantage in the negotiations. of the smallholdings attended to structure plan process in 1993 with This notion must surely have been immediately, and that farm owners the best intentions. An effort was symbolically re-inforced when the along the fringe frequently met made to set up a process that Municipal Councillor never bilaterally with the CPA, despite would allow for maximum attended with less than two there being a process. Neither of community participation. professionals at his side. Tellingly, these needs contributed to the Moreover, this effort was made in towards the end of the process KCF drafting of a structure plan, which probably the most trying political requested technical support before was in fact the Provincial times of South Africa. But things there could be any further progress. Administration's need. A key did not work out well. Progress was failing of the process was thus that so frustratingly slow that the CPA Another potential drawback with structure planning, as one actor's eventually terminated the public the plan-making approach to need, dominated proceedings and process and reverted back to an negotiations is that it brings with it so squeezed out other voices. This approach to plan-making which did intellectual baggage which works to situation had several consequences. little more than follow the minimum the advantage of the professionals It sapped considerable energy and procedures stipulated by the Land in at least two ways. Firstly plans called for patience from all actors. Use Planning Ordinance. It has are prepared according to Participants' needs were never been argued above, that the theoretical methods, usually directly addressed. Nor were their principal reason why the process expressed as a series of discrete expectations from the process failed was that the nature of the steps such as ( 1) defining problems clearly articulated. Active issue at hand was being dealt with and issues, (2) formulating goals participation and commitment from through an inappropriate vehicle - and objectives, (3) evaluating actors was thus put on hold. Also, town plan preparation. It may have alternatives, etc. In a way these get I contend that, to varying extents, been wise to deal with the read as technology, and get placed spontaneous emergence of the beyond question. These methods 12 Kraaifontein Municipality oekombos informal settlement by can have a massive impact on the requested that a Finance Task Team upgrading it. Instead, according to order of procedure throughout the be set up to approach the Department prevailing policy, it was decided course of the meetings, which again of Housing and investigate ways of that the community would be repeatedly re-inforces the feeling of raising necessary funding. This was resettled on a serviced site. The technical inferiority among some widely supported. It illustrates the question of which site was to be actors, but it can also direct the prevailing feeling of unease with used effectively generated a wider form of the actors' contributions. planning that is not linked to action process, with many more actors. The manner in which these actors could resolve on a site, it was

11 suggested by the CPA was to up, one where compromises over literature suggests that prepare a structure plan. The competing needs and demands are collaborative processes are more consequences of choosing this made, and where the CPA was desirable (Healey, 1998). However, route were numerous. The merely one equal actor, with its own how this would work in a public Bloekombos community lost its requirements from the process, the realm with many stakeholders and voice, the language of debate for chances of success would have complex power relations in not resolving the actor's needs was been much greater. Articulation of clear. Moreover, collaboration pre­ "spatial planning", the attention of "needs" must not be constrained supposes a degree of proximity, a the actors was focused on end with retorts such as "what measure of common understanding states and not the articulation of relevance does that have to this already among participants. It their respective needs, and the process". Groups must assumes a positive predisposition government was seen as the progressively work towards each towards co-operation by all parties. dominant actor. It is proposed that other, discover commonality and had a negotiating process been set build community. More recent FIG 2 WORKING PLAN BOUNDARIES

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References: Abbott, John. 1996 "Sharing the City" An Ekong EE & Sekoya KL, 1982 "Success and Earthlife Publication Failure in Rural Community Development Kemp, Ray 1988 "Planning, Pubic Hearings Efforts" Journal of Community Development and the Politics of Discourse" Bolan, Richard. 1980 "The practitioner as Vol. 17, No. 3. Theorist: The phenomenology of the Korten, David 1989 "Community professional episode" APA Journal Forester, John 1980 "Critical Theory and Management: Asian Experience and Planning Practice" APA Journal Perspectives" Kumarian Press Bruton M & Nicholson D 1987 "Local Planning in Practice" Hutchinson Press Friedman, Steven 1993 "The Elusive Mandelbaum, Seymore J. 2000. "Open Moral Community: The Dynamics of Negotiated Communities" MIT Press Cape Metropolitan Council, 1995 "Townships Urban Development" CPS Social Contract & Informal Settlements in the Cape Series, Report # 28 Saff, G.t. 1994 "The changing face of the Metropolitan Region" Engineering Services South African City: from urban apartheid to Directorate Healey, Patsy 1997 "Collaborative planning" the deracialisation of space" International Shaping places in Fragmented Societies" Journal of Urban & Regional Research Cape Metropolitan Council, 1998 "Trends in Macmillian Press Vol. 18, No 3 Informal Settlement in the Cape Metropolitan Area in the l 990's" Housing Department JAK, 1994. A letter submitted from the Joostenberg Aksie Komitee June 1994 Annexure A List of stakeholders 16. Koelenhof Bottelary Aksie Grooep 33. Scottdene Bestuurkomitee 1. Administrasie: Raad van Verteenwoordigers 17. KPA: Direktoraat Beplaning 34. Scottdene Residents Association 2. ANC: Kraaifontein Branch 18. KPA: Gemeenskapsdienste 35. Skiereiland SOV 3. Berndino Heights Rate Payers Association 19. KPA: Tak Paaie en Verkeersadministrasie 36. SOAK Streek A 4. Botanical Society 20. Kraaifontein Munisipaliteit 37. Social Development Committee 5. Brackenfell Municipality 21. Kraaifontein Boeregemeenskap 38. Stellenbosch Landbou Genootskap 6. Crammix Road Residents Association 22. Kraaifontein Sakekaner 39. Stellenbosch Landelike Raad 7. Departement Hulpbronbewaring 23. Metropolitaanse Vervoerbeplaning 40. Regional Services Council: Regional 8. Departement Streek en Grondsake 24. Northpine Residents Association Planning Branch 9. Departement van Nationale Gesondheid 25. National Party: Koelenhof-Bottelary 41. Summerville Residents Association en Bevolkingsontwikkeling 26. Ou Paarlpad Boeregemeenskap 42. Telkom 10. Departement van Vervoer 27. Landelike Raad 43. Kamer van Handel en Nywerhied 11. Eskom 28. Pineview Belastingbetalersvereniging 44. Vroue Landbouvereniging 12. Fairview Eienaars en Gemeenskapskomitee 29. SA Police 45. Watsonia Park Residents Association 13. Gemeenskapgespreksforum 30. SA Rail Commuter Corporation 46. Wes-Kaap Landbou Unie 14. Joostenbergvlakte Aksie Komitee 31. SANCO Wallacedene 47. Wes-Kaap Departement van Onderwys and 15. Kaaplandse Natuurbewaring 32. SANCO Bloekombos Branch Opleiding

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