GOOD Press Statement by Suzette Little
GOOD City of Cape Town Councillor & Caucus Chairperson
30 October 2024
The GOOD Party calls on the City of Cape Town to urgently draft, adopt, and enforce a comprehensive Public Participation Policy in line with both constitutional obligations and Parliament’s public participation model.
It mandates meaningful engagement with citizens, promoting an inclusive and representative decision-making process. Recent municipal actions have failed to align with the law, often bypassing public involvement, and reflecting only the priorities of the political elite.
Section 152(1)(e) of the Constitution compels municipalities to encourage community involvement in local governance, and the Municipal Systems Act’s Section 17 outlines standards for inclusive public participation mechanisms.
Yet, Cape Town’s approach falls short: recent amendments to critical policies, such as the supply chain policy, received minimal public input, with only seven responses from a city of four million. This starkly highlights the inaccessibility of the city’s current consultation processes, which seem more procedural than participatory.
As a foundational element of democracy, effective public participation ensures decisions reflect “the will of the people,” not merely the will of the city’s political leadership.
The reality is, Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis’ administration would never survive proper public participation. That’s why it mutes any meaningful critical voices inside and outside of council.
Decisions affecting public property and resources should not be made unilaterally by political figures, particularly when they stand to impact some of the city’s most vulnerable residents.
There are no accessible channels for public input, particularly in decisions about the disposal of public property. Our city has over 500,000 people remaining on a waiting list for housing, prioritising the needs and voices of Cape Town’s residents should be its core function.
GOOD’s motion, submitted in August, was met with extensive administrative delay. Correspondence from the Speaker’s office in late October revealed that the motion had yet to reach the appropriate review channels, delaying necessary discourse on this essential policy.
The absence of a Public Participation Policy has obstructed citizens’ constitutional right to have their voices heard and underscores an apparent divide between political and administrative responsibilities within city governance.
GOOD’s position is clear:
• Draft, Adopt, and Implement a Public Participation Policy – A policy that enables active engagement in decision-making across all communities, regardless of political or socioeconomic standing.
• Promulgate a Supporting By-Law – Establish a legally binding framework that reinforces the Public Participation Policy.
• Develop a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) – Clear guidelines to support policy implementation, ensuring consistency, accountability, and effective communication with residents.
The city’s leadership is detached from the people’s needs and priorities.
It is time for the City of Cape Town to adopt a transparent, accessible, and structured framework for public engagement, fulfilling both its constitutional duty and the democratic rights of all its residents.
Media Enquiries:
Suzette Little, GOOD City of Cape Town Councillor & Caucus Chairperson
Cell: 073 321 5036
Email: suzettel@forgood.org.za
Samantha Jackson, GOOD: Media Manager
Cell: 083 5509875
Email: samantha@forgood.org.za