Integrated Development Plan 2016/17 FOREWORD FROM THE EXECUTIVE MAYOR It is a privilege to present the IDP 2016/17 to the community of Thaba Chweu Local Municipality. This year marks a year in which our term as council comes to an end, I will first like appreciate the partnership between the municipality and various stakeholders who have been part of our IDP since the term a commenced and their contribution thereof. The council was elected in 2011 and has embarked on a process of formulating and reviewing its five year integrated development plan (IDP) 2011 -2016 on annual basis. The IDP implementation has encountered numerous challenges in which funding was at the centre from the beginning, this gave the municipality a tough challenge in executing its IDP mandate this was clearly visible in areas like Sabie, Lydenburg, Grsakop and most of the rural and farm areas. For an example the community of Sabie eventually lost hope and embarked on protest actions. However it is also important to note that our Eskom debt has had negative impact on balancing the budget to service Eskom account and funding the IDP projects. Despite the challenges mentioned above It is important to note that significant progress has been made during this council term, the municipality has delivered the following services: Water supply in Ward 05 (Draikraal, Kiwi and Shaga), Ward 04 (Coromandel), Ward 08 & 09 (Matibidi, Leroro and Moremela) these services were provided in a form of boreholes and storage facilities, Roads construction in Ward 12 (Lydenburg[Veljoen Street & Kerk Street), Ward 01 (Mashing main Street), Ward 05 (Kelly’s Ville & Draikraal), Ward 14 (Skhila main Street), Ward 06 (Simile), Ward 10 (Graskop), Ward 09 (Moremela), Ward 08 (Matibidi). Electricity connections in Ext 08 Mashishing, Graskop Ext 05 and most of the rural and farm areas in partnership with Eskom. The municipality still strives to provide bulk supply in the northern areas. Our biggest challenge in all our formal areas i.e Lydenburg, Sabie and Graskop is Infrastructure upgrade on Roads, Water, Sanitation and Electricity. This revised IDP seek to tackle some of the key issues particularly roads. In this regard we have engaged our local business for partnership in this regard. In terms of financial efficiency we have focused on establishing cost effective measures to reduce our spending during these trying times whilst ensuring that what we spend is on key priority basic services in order to improve the state of our local economy for an improved socio-economic levels. Working with business and other government institutions we will make an impact, I am confident that we will be able to accelerate service delivery, and ensure that we create a today that is better than yesterday and a tomorrow that is better than today. Honorable Executive Mayor Cllr S Mashigo 4 | P a g e Thaba Chweu Local Municipality Integrated Development Plan 2016/17 1. CHAPTER 1 (Introduction) 1.1. Executive summary Thaba Chweu Local Municipality (TCLM) is the second smallest municipality in the district of Ehlanzeni municipality. The municipality consists of three main tows namely: Lydenburg, Sabie and Graskop which are characterized by formal and informal settlements comprises of different community groups with different developmental challenges such as water supply, electricity supply, human settlement development, tourism development and socio-economic up-liftment. The municipal plans have revealed that this municipality has the greatest economic potential opportunities in mining, tourism and forestry in which the municipality is developing appropriate strategies and plans to address some of the challenges. The Integrated Development Plan (IDP) becomes the only principal plan that presents how these challenges can be tackled. 1.2. Overview of the IDP process Section 25 of the Municipal System (MSA) Act 32 of 2000 requires that every elected Council must develop and adopt a strategic plan, commonly known as Integrated Development Plan (IDP) to guide & inform the municipality‘s planning, development & budgeting. The Act (MSA) also requires that the approved IDP be reviewed annually based on its performance & other changing circumstances deemed relevant and necessary by the municipal council. Integrated development planning is a process through which a municipality prepare an inclusive strategic development plan for a period of five-year. The TCLM IDP becomes a principal strategic plan that guides and informs resource planning and budgeting that informs decision–making processes for the municipal development. The process of the IDP allows for participatory process of various stakeholders to participate in development matters that interest and affect them. This process assists the municipality in identifying its key areas of greatest needs of service delivery and development. Which assist the municipality to identify development priorities, vision and mission formulation, formulation of appropriate plans and strategies for development, alignment of resources and plans with the developmental priorities. 1.3. The need for an IDP The need for the integrated development plans is entrenched in the South African Constitution (section 152 and 153). The Constitution states that local government is in charge of the development process in municipalities and it is in charge of municipal planning. Furthermore the municipal Systems Act 32 of 2000 provides that all municipalities have to undertake an integrated development planning process to produce integrated development plans. As the Integrated Development Plan is a legislative requirement it has a legal status and it supersedes all other plans that guide development at a local government level. It is very important for a municipality to have an IDP, one of the primary role of this council policy (IDP) document is to; coordinate and consolidate all planning and budgeting within a municipality, open platform for various stakeholders to participate in planning and to become a policy that address community needs and development. All aspects of planning should be contained in this policy document i.e economic, social, environmental, infrastructural and spatial aspect. The aim of this planning is to achieve the envisaged vision of the municipal council. 5 | P a g e Thaba Chweu Local Municipality Integrated Development Plan 2016/17 The IDP should inform the following: . The budget processes of the municipality, . Allocation of scarce resources to maximize development impact in areas of greatest needs, . Alignment of municipal, provincial, national and parastaltas programmes and projects . To ensure sustainable development and growth, . Facilitate an inclusive planning within the municipal jurisdiction, . To facilitate credible accessibility to the municipality and its governance structures by citizens, . To enable active citizen participation in affairs pertaining to planning and development, . Facilitate access to development funding, . Encourage local and international investment, . Building capacity among Councilors and officials, . Effective and efficient use of the available resources for a maximum development impact in the communities. 1.4. The participation process of the IDP Chapter 4 of the Municipal System Act states that municipalities must develop a culture of municipal governance that complements formal representative government with a system of participatory governance, and must encourage, and create conditions for the local community to participate in the affairs of the municipality including the preparation, implementation and review of its IDP, Budget and Performance Management System. It furthermore states that participation by the local community must take place through Political Structures, Ward Committees and Councilors. The municipality has adopted a public participation strategy on the 30th November 2012 (Resolution A86/2012) which guides the processes of public participation. Currently the participation of communities occurs through the arrangements of meetings with ward councilors, ward committees members and community development workers (CDWs) managed by the Public Participation Unit in the Office of the Speaker. The role of the aforesaid committees is to represent the interest of the communities, facilitate local community participation in municipal planning related decisions that affect them. The outcome of the participation process are the community priority needs per ward, these needs are captured and registered by the IDP unit in the office Municipal Manager for inclusion in the IDP to inform planning and budget for the municipality and sector departments. Every annual review of the IDP process communities are given an opportunity to update their priority needs based on the progress of the previous year‘s projects. This process is informed by IDP cycle which is informed by the IDP process plan. 1.5. The process plan The Municipal Systems Act (section 29) requires that a process be set out in writing and be adopted by the Municipal Council to guide, among other aspects, the IDP review process. The Municipal Systems Act refers to as the ―Process Plan‘‘ that had to be prepared for the IDP process, which had to include the process for IDP Review. The Process Plan is a management tool for a municipality, which helps the management of the IDP process on a regular basis. 6 | P a g e Thaba Chweu Local Municipality Integrated Development Plan 2016/17 This outlines every activity of the IDP through a researched and participatory system. It must