Abstract
M.A.
It is true that public participation processes in local government do not produce the outcomes that reveal a fully optimised process. The aim of the study was to bring about a better understanding of the perceptions and experiences of Pretoria Central residents, in particular, with regard to the possible extent to which they feel they participated in discussions pertaining to the re-naming of Pretoria. This was achieved by way of a literature review and an analysis of the data collected during the focus groups. The methodological approach that was used by the researcher was a qualitative one, and purposive and snowball techniques were instrumental for the identification of participants.
In chapter 1, the topic of the study is introduced and the background to the study, the research problem, the design and methodology as well as the outline of the chapters is explained. In chapter 2, the concept of public participation is discussed within the context of the local government. The role and involvement of the public in decision making is discussed, as well as public participation in other countries and how these relate to South Africa. The discussion is positioned within the broader context of Dahrendorf’s theory of conflict. Chapter 3 deals with the research design and methodology used to research the topic of this study. In chapter 4, the presentation of research findings is given, according to the themes that were used during data collection and analysis. The study shows that the respondents were unhappy about the manner in which the renaming of Pretoria was conducted. They were of the opinion that the municipality could have done better in terms of advertising and informing them about the process so that they could participate. The last chapter focuses on the conclusion and recommendations based on the findings discussed in the previous chapter. The researcher makes some recommendations based on the gaps that he identified on the findings. The study has some limitations which are also discussed.