Abstract
M.A.
This research investigated community stakeholder perceptions of the local government stakeholder engagement practices in the Bekkersdal Township, south of Johannesburg. Bekkersdal Township has experienced a number of violent service delivery protests in the past years, and has been labelled, by a specialised local government data and intelligence organisation called MunicipalIQ, a service delivery protests hotspot in Gauteng. Therefore a better and clearer picture of what stakeholders’ perceptions of the local government stakeholder engagement practice is, is essential because community’s perceptions influence the community’s behaviour, hence this research.
The research used focus groups discussions to establish stakeholders’ perception of the local government’s stakeholder engagement practices. The findings reveal that the overall stakeholders’ perception of the municipality’s stakeholder engagement practice is not favourable and that could devalue engagement practices of the municipality.
Stakeholders feel left behind and not being part to the local government activities, they further suggested that there is a lack of transparency and openness in the engagement practice of the municipality, there is also a dominant sentiment that the municipal leadership takes decisions about their township without their involvement and suggested that consultation be at the centre of the engagement practices of the municipality.