You get an opportunity to help steer the direction of Knysna’s municipal funds (i.e. your tax money) in the forthcoming IDP (Integrated Development Process). ETU states that the main reasons for you to participate are as follows:

• Effective use of scarce resources – the IDP will help the local municipality focus on the most important needs of local communities taking into account the resources available at local level.The local municipality must find the most cost-effective ways of providing services and money will be spent on the causes of problems in local areas. For example, a municipality may decide to allocate resources to building a canal that will prevent homes being damaged during the flood season. This will reduce the financial burden placed on the municipality’s emergency services.
• It helps to speed up delivery – the IDP identifies the least serviced and most impoverished areas and points to where municipal funds should be spent. Implementation is made easier because the relevant stakeholders have been part of the process. The IDP provides deadlock-breaking mechanisms to ensure that projects and programmes are efficiently implemented. The IDP helps to develop realistic project proposals based on the availability of resources.
• It helps to attract additional funds – government departments and private investors are willing to invest where municipalities have clear development plans.
• Strengthens democracy – through the active participation of all the important stakeholders, decisions are made in a democratic and transparent manner.
• Helps to overcome the legacy of apartheid – municipal resources are used to integrate rural and urban areas and to extend services to the poor.
• Promotes co-ordination between local, provincial and national government –  the different spheres of government are encouraged to work in a co-ordinated manner to tackle the development needs in a local area e.g. the Department of Health plans to build a clinic in an area. It has to check that the municipality can provide services like water and sanitation for the effective functioning of the clinic.

Public participating meetings from 15 April 2013 to 2 May 2013. The details per ward are as follows:

Ward 1:
Monday 15 April 7pm – Ms Irene Grootboom – Smutsville Community Hall

Ward 6:
Tuesday 16 April 7pm – Mr Clive Witbooi – Hornlee Civic Centre

Ward 4:
Wednesday 17 April 7pm – Mr Wiseman Litoli – Chris Nissen Primary School

Ward 3:
Thursday 18 April 6pm – Mr Migiel Lizwani – Chris Hani Hall

Ward 8:
Monday 22 April 7pm – Ms Ntombizanele Sopeki – Thembilitsha Primary School

Ward 7:
Tuesday 23 April 7pm – Ms Titi Gombo – Khayalethu Hall

Ward 5:
Wednesday 24 April 6pm – Ms Magda Williams – Rheenendal Community Hall
Thursday 25 April 6pm – Brenton Community Hall

Ward 2:
Monday 29 April 7pm – Ms Michelle Wasserman – Cearn Hall – Leisure Island

Ward 10:
Tuesday 30 April 5pm – Mr Richard Dawson – Council Chambers, Clyde St

Ward 2:
Thursday 2 May 2pm – Ms Louise Hart – Sedgefield Town Hall
Thursday 2 May 7pm -Karatara Community Hall