Examining Community Engagement Strategies in South African Cape Town Metropolitan Municipality

Abstract

This study examines community engagement strategies with a view to exploring whether they have contributed to either satisfaction or dissatisfaction by the municipality residents in South Africa. The City of Cape Town Metropolitan Municipality was selected as a case study because of evidence-based examples of the community engagement strategies used during policy and decision-making processes for community needs. It draws a case study from six Cities of Cape Town Metropolitan Municipality. The study adopts a qualitative research approach using focus group discussion as a data collection method and content analysis for data analysis using tabular presentation. The study finds that the purpose of community engagement strategies in public policy and decision-making is not about anticipated and unanticipated results but about the community members being engaged in the affairs affecting their lives. The study concludes that the community engagement process should be open and transparent within each South African community.