Lekwa Local Municipality 2013/14 - Co-operative Governance and ...

4.2 NINE (9) STRATEGIC FOCUS AREAS OF THE MUNICIPALITYOver the next five year term municipality will concentrate on the Nine (9) strategic focal areas outlined below.STRATEGIC AREA ONE: EQUITABLE PROVISION OF SERVICESIn the next five years the municipality will ensure that residents have equal access to services they are entitled to.Some areas like Platrand, Holmdene, Hartbeeskuil and Folly, by virtue of their location do not receive certainservices. For example most of these areas are not provided with a refuse removal service and do not benefit fromfree basic electricity, water, sanitation services. Disparities also exist within the urban areas wherein standards ofservice vary.STRATEGIC AREA TWO: CREATION OF AN INTEGRATED AND SUSTAINABLEHUMAN SETTLEMENTThe focus over the past has been on delivering basic needs and housing. In spite of the remaining backlogs majorstrides have been in this regard. However there still remains a huge challenge in terms of ensuring that we do notjust deliver houses but create integrated and sustainable settlements. The challenge is about building sustainablehuman settlement where residents have access to social and community facilities, economic opportunities, ahealthy and sustainable environment where opportunities can be accessed through convenient public transportand safe roads network.Integral to the creation of sustainable human settlement is, integrated planning and implementation. Themunicipality has developed its Integrated Human Settlement Plan (Housing Chapter), which will guide futuredevelopment and investment.STRATEGIC AREA THREE: CREATION OF A LINKED ECOLOGICAL OPEN SPACEThe aim of an Open Space is to establish a thorough understanding on the intrinsic value of Open Space and tothen develop a visionary roadmap towards the creation of an exceptional Open Space network for the town and itspeopleSTRATEGIC AREA FOUR: DELINEATION OF AN URBAN EDGEThe delineation of an urban edge is envisaged in order to: Control sprawl. Direct development in appropriate areas and Assist in countering the outward pressure for urban expansion.This policy should also contain guidelines for the development inside and outside the urban edgeSTRATEGIC AREA FIVE: ESTABLISHMENT OF AN EFFICIENT ACCESS ANDINTEGRATED MOBILITYIt is common knowledge that within the municipality access to basic households and community services are lessoptimal. Mobility to access services is further constrained by the fragmented spatial form which is largelyattributable to flawed apartheid spatial planning patterns. There are also disparities in how rural and urbancommunities’ access services, with provision of services biased in favour of urban services. The disparities will haveto be addressed in a manner that makes no distinction between rural and urban areas.To improve mobility within LLM will also require expediting the implementation of the Integrated Transport Planincluding connecting the urban nodes.110 | P a g e - F i n a l I n t e g r a t e d D e v e l o p m e n t P l a n 2 0 1 3 / 2 0 1 4