Understanding the role of ward committees in advancing community participation in Umbumbulu.

Abstract

The study aimed to understand the role of ward committees in promoting community participation in Umbumbulu, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Umbumbulu is a rural area with a strong reliance on traditional values and subsistence livelihoods, as well as inadequate access to essential services. The study examines the role of ward committees in advancing community participation in Umbumbulu, investigates the methods used to promote it, identifies opportunities and challenges, and provides suggestions for promoting effective community participation in Umbumbulu. This study employs the Empowered Participatory Governance (EPG) theoretical framework and emphasises the importance of including ordinary citizens in government decision-making processes to achieve equitable and successful outcomes. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 10 participants in Umbumbulu. Purposive sampling techniques were used to select all participants, and the data were analysed using thematic analysis. The findings show that while methods for participatory governance exist, political, social, and administrative constraints hinder the implementation of community participation.