IDP summit gives insight into city’s future
The plan was a culmination of three weeks of public consultations which started on April 2 and wound up in Braamfontein in Region F on April 21.
After 26 public meetings described as robust, honest, frank and no-holds-barred debate, the City of Johannesburg (CoJ) and its stakeholders produced a service-delivery plan for the next five years.
Stakeholders included residents, academics and business people. The 2016-2021 Integrated Development Plan (IDP), described by CoJ executive mayor, Clr Parks Tau as “the People’s Plan” was consolidated at a Stakeholder Summit on April 30.
The plan was a culmination of three weeks of public consultations which started on April 2 and wound up in Braamfontein in Region F on April 21.
Two of the meetings gave Johannesburg’s thought leaders and academics and the city’s business community the opportunity to also contribute to the narrative.
The participants represented a cross-section of the Johannesburg population and inputs were many and varied.
They ranged from concerns about unemployment and drug and alcohol abuse to calls for the building of sporting facilities and the provision of housing.
The plan, which the stakeholders said was “a collective tool to transform society and to ensure that socio-economic transformation was experienced by all”, also came a few days before Clr Tau delivered the State of the City Address on Wednesday.
In a declaration read out at the summit, the city reiterated its commitment to putting people at the centre of development.
“We believe Johannesburg is a world-class African city with a mission to proactively deliver and create a city environment in 2040 that is resilient, sustainable and liveable.
“We will achieve this through our medium-term and long-term plans, targeted programmes and services,” read the declaration.
Clr Tau thanked residents for their participation and said it was important to hear the people’s views and see them take part in shaping the city.
He said the city now needed to ensure that programmes such as Jozi@Work, Vulindlel’ eJozi, and Jozi My Beginning were accelerated.
“We have partnered with big companies to help us make a difference in communities. We have created job opportunities for young people. We have partnered with the University of Johannesburg to help young people study online to finish matric and obtain degrees,” he said.
