Assessing the role of intergovernmental relations in strategic planning for economic development at local government level: a case study of Umkhanyakude district municipality

Despite the several post-apartheid policy interventions that South Africa has introduced, there are still visible traces of the apartheid era including the evident poverty, unemployment and inequality that characterise the lives of many South Africans, especially those in the rural areas. This phenomenon remains both an administrative and political quagmire that warrants continued research, policy and integrated development planning interventions. In this respect, the study sought to assess the role of intergovernmental relations in strategic planning for economic development within local governments as an attempt to dissect intergovernmental relations and local economic development from a strategic planning perspective to better understand local government challenges and address them. A qualitative approach was adopted with respondents purposively selected and interviewed to address the aim of the study. As such, interviews were conducted with the 10 respondents that participated in this study. Two focused group meetings were also held with the same respondents. The research study showed the complexity of the challenges inhibiting local economic development planning and growth. The study further showed the reasons owed to these challenges. The study acknowledged that the impact of an inefficient intergovernmental relations system not only defies the purposes and intentions of cooperative government but equally threatens the very foundations of local economic development and its inherent benefits. The study found that local governments do not have adequate policies that address the intergovernmental relations and local economic development challenges established in this study. Whilst strategic planning forms an integral part of how local governments plan for their five-year term, there are still critical challenges with regards to the inclusion of local economic development as an important part of strategic planning. Results indicated that local economic development features for the purposes of compliance and not necessarily as an important area of service delivery.