DOI
10.2495/SC130221

Summary
This study is concerned with the development of sustainable communities within the realm of sectoral planning in South Africa. The local municipality of Tlokwe is researched as a testing platform for developing planning instruments to guide sustainable community development. The study uses a Goal Assessment Matrix (GAM) approach to rate and prioritise the projects and plans. The top scoring projects are indicative of the best methods for achieving sustainable development at a community level. Schalkwyk et al describe the current state of sustainable development in South Africa followed by the fundamental elements of sustainable community development. The stated fundamental elements of a sustainable community are:

Human settlement development
Transport
Employment
Services
Community
Character and development

Further description of South Africa’s position in sustainable development and community development on delivered in section 3. Here the authors detail the racial issues caused by the lasting legacy of the apartheid system and how government mistrust has cause for a slow uptake of policy measures and community development projects. The sectoral plans in South Africa are then described making reference to Integrated Development Plans (IDP) as the main instrument guiding planning, investment, development and implementation decisions across sectors. The Tlokwe Local Municipality (TLM) and IDP provide situational analysis giving data basic demographic figures, income and basic socio-economic data.

GAM includes the adjudicating of sectoral plans for their contribution to the set of sustainable community development elements detailed above. The total sum of its contribution is referred toas its GAM score and is ranked from highest to lowest. The highest ranked projects should then be considered crucial to the the sustainable development of communities. They are delivered  below.




Creating an integrated and sustainable human settlement system
Supporting LED development and delivery
Provide good quality services, both bulk and internal
Contribute to an effective public and private transport system
Foster an inclusive community spirit and a sense of togetherness
Contribute to a community character of accountability and social identity

Relevance for Complex Systems Knowledge
This is study is relevant to a system of community development in South Africa where the authors look to find the most plausible projects and plans to incorporate sustainable development. The research assesses the historical implications for a slow uptake of sustainable and community development projects to which Schalkwyk et al discuss is a result government mistrust. The paper does not mention systems thinking, however, it does contribute to the enhancing of community sustainable development arguably contribution to regional and wider complex systems. The use of the GAM method could be a useful resource for other studies of similar stature.

Point of Strength
The list of fundamental elements of community development is a useful resource here.

The use of the GAM approach could be useful for other community development or similar studies. The GAM results derived from the fundamental elements is a useful resource for teaching or implementation in another study.

The paper is short and easily digestible making for a good resource for a teaching exercise.