The International Association for Public Participation’s (IAP2) 2012 Project of the Year Award has been granted to the City of Cape Town’s Waste Review Stakeholder Engagement process, which was managed by Sonja Pithey Consulting. The accolade was granted in the first ever Southern African Core Values Awards for Excellence in Public Participation.
As set out by the Municipal Systems Act, Section 78(3), public participation was a requirement for this project. In execution of this mandate the team undertook a comprehensive, in-depth stakeholder analysis, and developed a highly creative and collaborative outreach to a range of stakeholder clusters.
“As part of our commitment to building a Caring and Well-run City, this administration aims to listen to as many voices in the affected communities as possible. We know that by encouraging active and constructive dialogue, we can make sure that all citizens of Cape Town use their voice to create a better quality of life for themselves and their families,” said Councillor Shehaam Sims, Mayoral Committee Member for Utility Services.
Inputs from community groups and waste-related sectors of the city made a significant contribution towards the final Section 78(3) document, which was adopted by the City of Cape Town Council as a blue-print for the restructuring of future Waste Management functions.
Many of the recommendations taken under consideration came from groups whose opinions are rarely sought in large-scale, change orientated processes such as these, but who are directly affected by the restructuring.
IAP2 is the only professional organisation focusing on public participation at an international level. According to the organisation, the first Southern African Core Values Awards aim to galvanize regional practitioners and decision-makers to raise the standard of practice in the region, and thereby the public’s willingness to participate in shaping policies that have a bearing on them.
