Introduction

Bergrivier Municipality is one of 30 municipalities in the Western Cape and is known for its beautiful agricultural landscapes with vast wheat fields, sandy areas known for potato growing and immensely picturesque mountains where fruit for the export market is grown. It further has a beautiful untouched coastline with historical industries such as “bokkoms” (Salted dried fish).

Like most South African areas, Bergrivier, must, however, also be seen against the backdrop of a series of interrelated challenges flowing from the slowdown in economic growth, reduced employment, impacts of climate changes and serious social ills facing the wellbeing of our communities.

All municipalities country wide must prepare strategies through the Fourth Generation Integrated Development Plans (IDP) for the 2022/23 – 2026/2072 financial years. IDP’s must be prepared within the ambit of legal frameworks and compliance, but the most important philosophical principle for IDP’s stays the development of a strategy to bring about change for the better of all who live in Bergrivier Municipal Area. This strategy must therefore clearly identify a vision with measurable strategic goals and objectives to achieve the vision and thereby unlocking the full potential for all residents. As Bergrivier Municipality cannot achieve the vision on its own, it is important to align the strategy with the National Development Plan (NDP), which commits South Africa to ending poverty by 2030; as well as to the Medium-Term Strategic Framework, (the national implementation framework for the NDP). The IDP of Bergrivier Municipality must also be aligned with the Provincial Growth Strategy and Provincial Spatial Development Framework – a critical enabler for development – and the longer-term OneCape 2040 vision.

Integrated Development Planning is therefore a participatory process aimed at developing a strategic plan that guides all planning, budgeting, management and decision-making in a municipality. It entails the entire municipality and all its citizens finding the best solutions to achieve long term sustainable development. Important aspects of the IDP include the fact that:

• It is a legislated process;

• It is a five-year strategic plan;

• It is the principle strategic planning and development document of the Municipal Area; and

• It must be developed to respond to the needs identified by the community, as well as institutional requirements that will enable the municipality to address these needs.

The Fifth Generation Integrated Development Plan (IDP) was approved by Council in May 2022 and this document represents a review of the approved IDP for the 2023/24 financial year.

The IDP comprises 10 Chapters and the following diagram depicts the integration of the various chapters. This will be followed by a brief overview of the content of each chapter.