Minister defends DDM as bridge between planning and delivery
Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa has doubled down on the District Development Model (DDM), describing it as an indispensable element of South Africa's broader development agenda. The Minister confirmed on Tuesday that the framework serves as the primary operational mechanism for closing the divide between government planning and actual service delivery across all 44 districts and eight metropolitan municipalities nationwide.
Hlabisa was at pains to clarify that the DDM does not encroach on the authority of local government structures. Municipalities continue to exercise their constitutional powers over planning and governance, he explained, while the district "One Plan" serves to weave together existing plans from local, provincial, and national government departments into a cohesive strategy.
"The DDM does not substitute municipal planning but aligns different spheres of government around shared priorities. Chapter 3 of the Constitution obliges all spheres of government to coordinate and integrate plans and programmes."
The framework is designed to eliminate wasteful duplication, curb inter-departmental competition for limited resources, and tackle the longstanding problem of disjointed infrastructure planning. It achieves this by uniting national departments, provinces, and municipalities under a single coordinating umbrella, aligning budgets with infrastructure investment and spatial planning, and establishing joint accountability for development results.
Tackling fragmented governance and uneven development
The Minister pointed to a historical pattern of government departments and spheres functioning in isolation from one another, which has severely hampered effective governance. Since the DDM's inception in 2019, it has fundamentally shifted this dynamic by deliberately integrating planning, budgeting, and implementation processes across all tiers of government.
"With this level of coordination and collaboration, the DDM contributes positively to the realisation of a capable and ethical developmental state."
Hlabisa also highlighted the model's role in promoting equitable development between well-resourced metros and under-capacitated rural municipalities. He acknowledged that wealthier metropolitan areas typically enjoy stronger planning capabilities and more robust revenue bases, while many rural local authorities grapple with insufficient technical expertise, weak infrastructure planning, and poor coordination with national government. The DDM enables national and provincial governments to direct resources strategically towards districts and metros with weaker capacity, thereby enhancing spatial equity at both local and national levels.
Responding to criticism that the DDM and its 2024 gazetted regulations may be unconstitutional, Hlabisa noted that legal opinions obtained by his department found no merit in such claims. He revealed that during intergovernmental dispute processes involving both the Western Cape Provincial Government and the City of Cape Town, the fundamental intent and objectives of the DDM were in fact welcomed as a practical approach to improving long-term planning coordination. The concerns raised centred primarily on procedural and technical uncertainties around how the model would be institutionalised, particularly regarding coordination roles across the three spheres of government.
Proposed amendments to the 2024 DDM regulations, currently open for public input, seek to refine the framework — particularly around the responsibilities of intergovernmental stakeholders and the relationship between "One Plans" and other legislated development instruments. These changes align with existing legislation, including the Spatial Planning and Land Use Management Act and the Municipal Systems Act of 2000.
"These priorities will be best achieved not through working in isolation, but require coordinated action across all spheres of government, which is precisely what the DDM seeks to achieve."
Looking to the future, Hlabisa said the outcomes of dispute resolution processes and regulatory amendments reinforce the DDM as a practical mechanism aligned with the National Development Plan. He called on all sectors of government and society to work towards fully embedding the model nationwide, ensuring that every municipality ultimately serves the interests of the people.
South Africa's municipalities, particularly in rural areas, have long suffered from fragmented governance and uneven resource distribution that directly affects service delivery to millions of residents. The DDM's emphasis on coordinating budgets and infrastructure planning across government spheres could improve water, electricity, and housing delivery if implemented effectively. With proposed regulatory amendments now open for public comment, the model's success will ultimately depend on whether improved coordination translates into tangible improvements at community level.
