Whither planning? The state of planning in South Africa

Abstract

Our future lies in the present. In 2050 there may be 9 billion people on earth. We must start now to manage all the people. Land is important to sustain all the people while preserving the earth. Technology can be an answer, but technology can't be neutral. Our approach should be a call for integrated planning for sustainable management of land resources. Humanity's association with land springs from the enduring nature of land: it is the basis of food, shelter and livelihood. Accessible participatory structures should be created to allow interested and affected parties to express their concerns or support for any land use or land development decision at sufficiently early stage in the decision-making process.