Mr Justice Matlala from the Department of Provincial and Local Government (DPLG) stated that Section 152 of the Constitution of South Africa obligates local government to involve community and community organisations in their matters. Furthermore, he stated that Chapter 4 of the Municipal Systems Act is also devoted to community participation. The Municipal Systems Act prescribes to local government what needs to be done in order to encourage public participation.

Click here to download the Overview and Legislative Background for Community Participation in SA (DPLG)