Contextualising the National Development Plan for enhanced service delivery : Considerations for planning in KwaZulu-Natal

Integrated Development Plans (IDPs) are the planning instruments directed at strategies for enhancing service delivery in local government. As a consequence, capacity initiatives are driven by these plans to address prioritised developmental needs. The key to establishing such initiatives is informed by the National Development Plan (NDP). This Plan changed the planning regime in South Africa, culminating in a comprehensive planning hierarchy for local, provincial and national spheres of government. In light thereof, the paper theoretically examines the alignment of planning work procedures in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) in ensuring that development planning is ‘on track’. To this end, the KZN Provincial Planning Commission (PPC) developed a Provincial Growth and Development Strategy (PGDS) aligned with the National Plan. It follows then that District Municipalities formulated a District Growth and Development Plan (DGDP) with the same time horizon as the National Plan leading to 2030. Municipal Integrated Development Plans (IDPs) then become instruments to implement the Provincial Strategy in five-year periods. Against the background of action-based Batho-Pele Principles as necessary determinants, key issues may be addressed, whilst contextualising long-term development planning and implementation as the NDP-PGDP-IDP praxis. Cumulatively, planners in KZN must respond to this new plan hierarchy innovatively by integrating and aligning with the NDP at other planning levels in an ethical, accountable and socially responsible manner addressing poverty, inequality and unemployment. The article concludes that the trajectory of development planning in KZN is strategically linked to national and long-term initiatives and work procedures for enhanced service delivery.


Itevhelwa nga pulane dzamivhuso ya
The authors declared no conflict of interest for this title and article.

INTRODUCTION
According to Friedmann (in Drewes & Van Aswegen 2013: 21), "planning is primarily a way of thinking about social and economic problems, is oriented predominantly towards the future, deeply concerned with the relation of goals to collective decisions and strives for comprehensiveness in policy and program".Against this background, it is essential to locate the discussion and discourse on development planning in the South African context against the current sociopolitical realities.The challenge of implementation for tangible outcomes-based delivery is an important focal point emphasised by the authors.(Padayachie, 2012: 44, 48).According to Lukhele (2015: 776), it is stated that the broader developmental policy objective of improving the quality of life of the people is captured in the National Spatial Development Perspective (NSDP) (2006) with a normative set of principles as a guiding policy framework for economic, social and spatial development planning in the country.Following on, the NDP, therefore, places us on a forwardlooking trajectory and requires all of us, not only Government, to commit to concrete programmes improving the lives of all South Africans., 1997).The White Paper, in light thereof, provides a policy framework and a practical implementation strategy for the transformation of public service delivery.

VIS-À-VIS BATHO PELE PRINCIPLES
Emanating from the above discussion is the NDP as the long-term strategic framework for service delivery in South Africa.

FORMULATION AND ADOPTION OF THE NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN, 2030
A national plan can be identified as "a government economic plan which lays down the proposed pattern of economic development (investment, production, and consumption levels) over a number of years to come", according to Goodall (in Drewes & Van Aswegen, 2013: 22) Drewes and Van Aswegen (2013: 25).Drewes and Van Aswegen (2013: 25) further summarise that policies and national planning initiatives can be meaningfully evaluated according to the principles of economic and spatial applications, as well as the government's implementation approach, as evidenced in this article.The aim is not to reduce a very complex and serious issue to something trivial, but rather to give an overview of the strategic intent of Government over time.Ultimately, the discussion in its entirety serves as a tool to assist in understanding the enormous impact of 36 years of national spatial planning.In 2012, Parliament adopted the NDP with the view that provinces had to commence formulating their own plans in order to implement the NDP, as illustrated in Figure 1.The KZN PGDS aims to be the implementation instrument for the NDP 2030 time-span.The Plan was developed in 2011 after in-depth consultation of stakeholders and adopted by the KZN Provincial Cabinet even before the finalisation of the NDP.Upon the finalisation of the NDP, the KZN PGDS was aligned with the NDPs policies and programmes to achieve the National 030 Vision.In KZN at least, this is contrary to Terreblanche's (2014: 150) position during which it was asked who would be responsible for the implementation of the policy measures that are needed to be achieved by the over optimistic NDP goals.

KWAZULU-NATAL PROVINCIAL GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY, 2011
The The focus and emphasis, as set out in the diagram below, is on how the NDP and KZN PGDS are strategically linked and inform each other to ensure that the NDP's vision is implemented via the PGDS, DGDPs, IDPs and Ward Plans as a significant inter-relationship for improving work plans and procedures and service delivery enhancement.

LOCUS AND FOCUS OF THE NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN AND KWAZULU-NATAL'S PROVINCIAL GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY
The backdrop to the 2011 KZN PGDS is the 6 Provincial Priorities, 12 National Outcomes, the New Growth Path, the NPCs Diagnostic Report, and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).These policies collectively, the PGDS Situational Overview Report and the strategic analysis provide the foundation for the 2011 KZN PGDS and set the scene for the province to further build on these key priorities in developing its own growth and development trajectory (KZN-PPC, 2011: 7-8).
Notwithstanding the successes to date, there is widespread acknowledgement within the Province that continuing with a 'business-as-usual' approach will not bring about required growth and development that is necessary  On transforming human settlements, the NDP spells out various objectives, including a strong and efficient spatial planning system across all spheres of Government, more people living closer to their places of work, and more jobs close to dense, urban townships (NDP 2030(NDP , 2012: 58): 58).
Actions flowing from these objectives include reforms to the current planning system for improved coordination, development of strategies for densification of cities and resource allocation to promote better located housing and settlement, and a national observatory for spatial data and analysis.Brooks ( 2013) maintains that these important focus areas have been considered and taken into account in the KZN PGDS and Provincial Growth and Development Plan (PGDP).
The realisation of the KZN PGDS culminates in the implementation framework, as it significantly sets out priorities for the Province.

Implementation framework of the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Growth and Development Strategy
In Whereas the PGDS will be reviewed every five years, or when a major event has a significant impact on the provincial growth path, the PGDP will be reviewed annually.It will be used for the five-year period of implementation as mentioned earlier, with effective monitoring and evaluation as an imperative of the Plan.

TOWARDS SPATIAL EQUITY IN PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT
To encapsulate the preceding discussion of a monitoring and evaluation framework, an example of the goal of PGDS linked to the DGDP is that of Goal 7 of the PGDS which demonstrates how spatial requirements of the NDP are being addressed through the DGDP and the Monitoring and Evaluation System.Furthermore, spatial equity is a significant aspect of planning and development, which is reflected within Goal 7 as part of KZN's key priorities, as illustrated in Figure 6.(Gueli et al., 2007: 100).
Over the past two decades, planning has transformed significantly in South Africa -from the typical modernist planning system to a more postmodern, democratic, strategic, and developmental type of planning system.The contemporary planning system in South Africa was incidentally informed, to a large extent, by international planning trends that developed (Coetzee, 2012: 10).
Following on decades of learning, practising, and trial-and-error, planners and Government leaders still find it difficult to effectively implement the new planning system and to bring about change that is needed.COGTA (2009) argues that this slow progress has been the result of, among others, poor service delivery, poor governance, lack of leadership, weakening of institutional structures, as well as lack of capacity and skills (Coetzee, 2012: 14).

Contextualising the Integrated Development
Plan and the National Development Plan Coetzee (2012: 6)

PROVISION OF PUBLIC SERVICES
According to Venter (in Mfene, 2009: 215), the notion of inter-organisational systems is supported, when it is argued that this inevitably entails a shift to a strategic mode of operation and greater decision-making authority being assigned to frontline officers.These are the employees who interact directly with citizens and other role-players.They require a number of accountability and transparency mechanisms to link everyday operations to the broader process of building an accountable culture.Implications of a wide scope of service is that, as public administration is the executive mechanism, public officials should take cognisance of the political, social and economic implications of the services rendered by all public institutions.The slow pace of service delivery by, for example, municipalities has led to growing impatience and discontent, especially among poor communities.This has been clearly demonstrated by the spate of uprisings in townships across South Africa directed at municipalities.The poor feel betrayed, because their active participation in government-provided opportunities for participation, such as elections, ward committees and IDPs has not resulted in visible improvement in the delivery of the promised services, asserts Theron (in Mfene, 2009: 221).
One of the outcomes identified by the State of the Nation Address in 2011 was a responsive, accountable, effective, and efficient local government system that is expected to improve service delivery, and is echoed in the current address and strategic intent of Government going forward.
Ultimately, Smith (in Subban & Theron, 2011: 23) shares that the capacity of municipalities to meet financial and delivery commitments lies beyond political will, and rests, among others, on the willingness to invoke community participation in the affairs of local government for sustaining more effective local governance.

PLANNING EXECUTED WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF BATHO PELE PRINCIPLES
The Batho Pele Implementation Strategy (BPIS) of May 2014 will be used to evaluate whether planning is done ethically, accountably, and in a socially responsible manner, among others, to address poverty, inequality, and unemployment in line with the targets set out by the NDP, as highlighted in the foreground of this article.According to the BPIS, the following elements are relevant: • Leadership and strategic direction; • Consultation; • Encouraging innovation and rewarding excellence, and • Service delivery impact Against these Batho Pele principles, the locus of planning performance is contextualised and measured in the subsequent discussion in the article.

• Leadership and strategic direction
Evaluation cannot be done without scrutinising the drafting of the first PGDS for KZN from 1994 to 1996 (Theron, 2007: 89-160)

• Service standards
The BPIS states the following: "… making sure that the promised level and quality services are always of the highest possible standard" (GOGTA, 2014: 6).The MSA expects certain standards for the drafting of the IDPs.In order to ensure that the 60% credibility benchmark for IDPs is reached, an IDP Framework Guide for drafting IDPs and IDP Assessment Guidelines has been developed in conjunction with municipalities and other stakeholders.These guidelines are, in essence, the service standards for IDPs to ensure that KZN produces credible and legally compliant IDPs per the six national KPAs.
Important service standards are the manner in which COGTA confirms the receipt of the draft/adopted IDPs and Framework (FP) and Process Plans (PP).In view of the demands by Auditors, such correspondence has to be sent upon receipt of these documents.The IDP Unit does this in line with these requirements.The municipalities expect the letters within a reasonable time frame.The NDP refers to citizens having the right to hold leaders accountable for their actions (NDP 2030Executive Summary, 2012: 17).This principle, is further expanded in the 'Back-to-Basics' approach during which communities should hold municipalities accountable for decent living conditions by delivering services consistently to the right quality and standard, including planning, delivery and maintenance of infrastructure and amenities (Pule, 2014: 61).

• Access
The IDP BU aims to be as accessible as possible for municipalities on IDP matters.Planning staff attend Municipal IDP Representative Forums as well as Planning and Development Forums held regularly by municipalities.

• Information
The IDP Unit does this by providing the correct information on time and paying regular visits to Municipalities.
Where differences occur, especially regarding the IDP assessments and related scores, a mature discussion is necessary and conflict should be avoided.The IDP BU promotes access to information on services (GOGTA, 2014: 16).The Annual Performance Plan targets were discussed at the IDP de-briefing session.A long-standing practice is to place all the adopted IDP versions on the COGTA website.Annually, sector department staff are trained in-house on IDP-related matters, processes and contents.All relevant information related to the IDP process has to be available to stakeholders so that they can participate fully and make informed decisions.

• Openness and transparency
In this instance, clients must have all relevant COGTA reports (GOGTA, 2014: 17-18) This approach links directly with the aims of the (International) Open Government Partnership (Dlodlo, 2014: 42-43), of which South Africa is a voluntary member.This Forum agreed on the establishment of Service Delivery Improvement Forums in provinces at a local level.This will provide timely citizen report cards on service delivery at community level, especially in terms of primary healthcare, water, sanitation, environmental management, and housing (Dlodlo, 2013: 46) Municipalities should also be recognised for drafting their IDPs in-house in order to give recognition to effective civil servants and boost in-house capacity (Timm, 2013: 51).
According to Mfene (2009: 216), it is submitted that all public officials should honour the guidelines to ensure that they and the public recognise universal social values.Although these principles are not necessarily quantifiable, they are value-related and as important as the service itself.

• Service-delivery impact
A closer link should be forged between the drafting of the IDP and the compilation of the Annual Municipal Performance Reports drafted to determine impacts per National KPAs per municipality.
Service-delivery satisfaction surveys by municipalities and now by COGTA should be undertaken as a matter of urgency.The NDP wants everybody to enjoy a decent standard of living such as sufficient nutrition, housing, water, sanitation, electricity, transport, clean environment, and education (NDP 2030 Executive Summary, 2012: 28).The NDP-PGDP-IDP in the hierarchy of plans are the ideal vehicles to achieve these goals.
According to De Coning (2008: 90), the emphasis on poverty requires a focus not only on basic service delivery and the wellbeing of communities, but also on economic participation and human development at all levels of Government and in all sectors and living spaces.Van Zyl (2012: 24) highlights that a more comprehensive approach to planning-in-practice is needed -an approach in which a clear distinction is made between synoptic planning (investigating matters and determining future action), and its long-term effects.This is premised on the intention of Government as envisaged in the NDP.
At the 2013 Government Leadership Summit (Pule, 2013: 85) under the auspices of the Ministry of Public Service and Administration, the then Minister in the Presidency responsible for the NPP, Trevor Manuel, stated unequivocally: ... the time for blame games was over and civil servants needed to roll up their sleeves and render services to the public … Nineteen years into democracy, our government has run out of excuses.We cannot plead ignorance or inexperience.For almost two decades, the public has been patient in the face of mediocre services.The time for change, for ruthless focus on implementation has come.
Through a national imperative for monitoring and evaluation in the country, linking PGDP in KZN would assist in tackling the new challenges and development planning work procedures, thus ensuring that IDP priorities are addressed in an integrated manner.The intent is viable approaches to ensure that transformation is geared at improving the lives of all people, as envisaged in the strategic intent of the NDP.
From the above discussion, it can be stated that, in order to provide a better understanding of the challenges facing local government and the role of municipal planning in the development process, the developmental state model, which in recent years informed development thinking and processes, can be realised through a closer synergy in aligning the NDP to all integrated planning levels.

Following
Figure 2 which focuses on significant aspects of the vision, goals, objectives, work groups, and key stakeholders.

Figure 3 :
Figure 3: Priorities guided by alignment of strategic plans Source: KZN Office of the Premier, 2014: Presentation

Figure 6 :
Figure 6: Goal 7 on spatial equity Source: KZN Office of the Premier, 2014: Presentation While policy frameworks inform planning processes, the authors conclude that the IDP and NDP are inextricably linked in addressing the developmental agenda of local government and in strategically taking the planning discourse to new heights in KZN.Municipalities and the provinces rely on the theoretical and practical realities of contemporary planning, while aligning these developments in a socially responsible manner to enhance service delivery.In essence, tracing the socio-economic context of development planning from a position of 'underdevelopment' to development planning within the national strategic intent of the PGDS and the NDP cannot be overemphasised in the present planning era.The authors advanced the nexus of planning-in-practice in the alignment of the NDP-PGDP-IDP.The article examined how KZN observed innovatively the planning ambit amidst the ethical, accountable, and moral agenda necessary for addressing poverty, inequality and unemployment.It is submitted, as reiterated earlier in the article, that theory without practice is stagnant and practice without theory is visionless.