Full report LR.pdf - DLIST Benguela

NACOMA Project – Preparation PhaseAnalysis of the Institutional Capacity in the Namib Coast Regional CouncilsAt the national level, the National Planning Commission (NPC) 17 and the MRLGHorchestrate the process. “These institutions are also tasked with the specificresponsibilities of providing planning guidelines and technical advice to RegionalCouncils; assist with the formulation of the regional development plans and ensure thatthey are integrated into the National Development Plans; ensure that there is moreequitable development in the regions.” 18 The sector ministries are tasked to implementspecified programmes and projects endorsed by ministries and Regional Councilrepresentatives. The national planning machinery is aided by the Town and RegionalPlanning Board (NAMPAB) 19 which planning jurisdiction is more urban-orientedwhereas that of the Inter-ministerial Committee of Land-use Planning (IMSCLUP) isconfined to rural land-use planning. The Legal and Policy Component provides adetailed assessment of these two planning bodies.Relevant planning instruments are the Townships and Division of Lands Ordinance, No.11 of 1963 as well as the Town Planning and Ordinance, No. 18 of 1954. While theformer provides for the establishment of townships and for the regulation and control ofthe development of the land sub-division, the latter provides for preparation andexecuting of town planning schemes. 20At the regional and local levels, Regional Councils are the leading agencies primarilytasked with planning, implementing and co-ordinating sustainable regional developmentactivities and processes – in collaboration with relevant stakeholders - in line with theDecentralisation Policy.4.4 PLANNING IN PRACTICEPlanning does not happen automatically. There have to be structures in place that consistof properly capacitated people. There have to be linkages with other structures that canparticipate, enhance or otherwise contribute usefully to planning. There have to bemechanisms that will ensure the participation of society in all its diversity in planning,meaning the communities, private sector, NGOs and CBOs – including the mining sectorthat can contribute much to planning, not only because mining often involves vast areasand the companies have technical planning tools such as GIS at their avail, but also interms of where and how the big mining houses will direct their Corporate SocialSpending (CSS) 21 .17 The NPC is mandated by Article 129 ‘to plan the priorities and direction development activities andprocesses in Namibia.’18 Regional Development Perspectives, Vol. 2, NPC, 2001.19 NAMBAP is entrusted with all matters relating to town planning schemes, in terms of the Town PlanningOrdinance, No. 18 of 1993, which as amended by the Town Planning Amendment Act, No. 27 of 1993.20 The Urban and Regional Planning Bill is envisaged to substitute these Township and Town PlanningOrdinances.21 In South Africa the large mining houses are increasingly becoming interested in collaborating in regionaldevelopment, at least in part because of the new Minerals and Petroleum Development Act, promulgated in2004 that requires a Social and Labour Plan as well as an Environmental Management Plan (EMP) to be inplace as prerequisites to renewing mineral concessions allocated under the Old Order. In Namibia the samesituation can follow suit; for instance, at the Karas Investors Conference held in 2004 there clearly wasgoodwill from the mining sector toward assisting in regional development. However, monetary assistancecan be best applied in the proper context and guidance that a good RDP can provide.18