The Limpopo branch of the South African Property Owners Association (SAPOA) intends to be actively involved in the updating and compilation of Polokwane Municipality’s 2017 to 2022 Integrated Development Plan (IDP) and Budget.
This was announced by SAPOA Regional Chairperson Paul Altenroxel during an interactive engagement session between SAPOA members and Jaco du Plessis, SAPOA’s appointed IDP consultant.
Du Plessis explained that his company, Pieterse Du Toit and Associates, was appointed to assist SAPOA Limpopo with their involvement and inputs into the municipality’s IDP review process.
Du Plessis said that the IDP is the principal strategic planning instrument of a municipality which guides and informs all planning, budgeting, management and decision-making processes.
“In terms of the Municipal Systems Act, a municipality must establish appropriate mechanisms, processes and procedures to enable local communities to participate in the affairs of the municipality,” Du Plessis said and added that SAPOA is an important representative stakeholder in Polokwane and will provide inputs to the annual IDP review process via the IDP Representative Forum.
According to Du Plessis, his role will be to assist both the national and regional offices of SAPOA to formalise inputs into the IDP during all phases of the review process, to collect views and concerns of SAPOA members regarding the previous IDP process and outcomes and also establish members’ expectations of the coming process. The consultant will also direct the inputs to the municipality and follow up whether they were addressed and compile an article for the South African Property Review before finally presenting the end result to SAPOA.
Members were impressed with the initiative and took note of the fact that inputs should be made according to a tight time frame.
Story and photos: BARRY VILJOEN
>>barryv.observer@gmail.com
