Durban - Residents in eThekwini have until the end of this week to make their submissions on the city’s proposed budget and Integrated Development Plan (IDP).
The IDP and the draft budget are out for public comment and will come into effect on July 1, at the start of the new financial year for municipalities.
Speaking on the municipal online platform, eThekwini Matters, Puven Akkiah, who is in charge of the IDP, said the public participation process on the IDP and the draft budget was likely to go on until May 11 or 12 this week.
He said residents can make submissions via email and other channels or during public participation meetings.
Akkiah said it was important for the residents to engage and make comments on the IDP document.
“The IDP gives our residents a view of where the trajectory of development and implementation is heading from a municipal implementation perspective. It is a blueprint for residents in terms of how the municipality foresees development.”
He said comments by the public were not taken lightly and were included in the development plans for the municipality.
“The IDP is a living document,” he said, adding that residents should not think that once the document is completed it “sits on the shelves”.
He said it was updated on a quarterly basis in line with development objectives.
“I would recommend that our residents go out, read the IDP document, engage with the content of the IDP and provide comments,” he said, adding that this was an opportunity to influence and shape the strategy of implementation.
The draft IDP is available at https://www.durban.gov.za/ Comments can be emailed to [email protected]