Challenges of community engagement in public policy formulation: a case study of Cape Town Metropolitan Municipality

Abstract

Community engagement is an exercise that enables people to influence the policy decisions and get involved in the actions that affect their lives. Meanwhile, studies have examined types and patterns of community engagement in the development of community-led initiatives and policy decisions. However, little or no attention has been paid to underlining the challenges of community engagement in public policy processes especially at the formulation stage. It is for this reason that this study aims at analysing the challenges in the process of implementing community engagement in the formulation of public policies. It draws a case study from six (6) wards of Cape Town Metropolitan Municipality. This study adopts qualitative research approach using focus group interviews as data collection method. The main finding of this study reveals that there is no one-size-fits-all for community engagement in the public policy formulation process. This study concludes that dynamic community engagement must be part and parcel of the structure of public policy formulation at the municipality level in South Africa.