IDP meetings rescheduled

There has been a slight change to the City’s Integrated Development Plan consultations, but it will still be gathering in every region to get public input.
TWO Integrated Development Plan (IDP) sessions for regions C and D that were planned for 28 April will now take place on 4 May, at the same venues.

The IDP sessions give residents a chance to (Photo: Enoch Lehung, City of Johannesburg)The IDP sessions give residents a chance to have their say on the city's future plans (Photo: Enoch Lehung, City of Johannesburg)The meetings, part of the City’s community outreach programme to get the public’s views on its budget and plans, will be held at the Roodepoort Civic Centre in Region C and the Dlamini Multi-Purpose Centre in Region D.

On Saturday, 5 May, sessions scheduled for regions E and G will take place at Paterson Park in Orange Grove and at Orange Farm Community Centre, respectively. Public meetings have already been held in regions A, B and F.

The IDP is the City’s strategic planning document. It is aimed at addressing short-term challenges and meeting short-term goals, as well as steering Joburg towards its long-term vision of Joburg 2040.

Braamfontein’s Civic Centre was the venue for the first consultation, on 18 April, on the 2012/16 draft IDP and the 2012/13 budget outreach. The meeting was specifically for women, youth and people with disabilities.

Executive Mayor Parks Tau said he recognised that women, youth and people with disabilities were most affected by poverty and inequality. He encouraged their participation in the formulation of the IDP as he said it was critical for them to be involved. To this end, the City took into consideration their needs when planning its initiatives.

Speaker of council Constance Bapela was at the meeting, as were members of the mayoral committee and the City’s management, women, people with disabilities and youth.

The City’s portfolio head of economic development, Sello Lemao, said youth development was about the creation of opportunities for all. “This includes skills development, job creation and self-development.”

Addressing the youth, he said the City had a Young Entrepreneurship Strategy in place to help them to become entrepreneurs.

Challenges voiced by the audience included domestic violence, discrimination in employment, crime and skills development for women.

The outcomes of the IDP discussions will be tabled in May at a council meeting. “These discussions will influence budgets and other City structures,” said Nkhensani Makhobela, from group communications, marketing and tourism in the City.