A conceptualisation and analysis of the community investment programme with reference to South African case studies : towards a new model

Abstract

This thesis describes the Community Investment Programme (CIP) and investigates its practicability in three pilot projects in South Africa where it was implemented. CIP is a community development programme that was conceptualised by Dr Norman Reynolds, a development economist. From 1994 onwards, he became disillusioned with the fact that the new democratic government did not address the structural problems in the South African economy, which left the majority of the poor trapped in the so-called second economy of South Africa. He conceptualised a programme, CIP, which aims to develop this second economy so as to ensure that all South Africans may participate meaningfully in the economy. CIP is advocating a people-centred development approach, where communities themselves take the lead in their development. Communities make their own decisions and decide how to use community development budgets, called ‘rights programmes’ in CIP, which are spent to stimulate the emergence of working local economies. The implementation of CIP should be a learning process, where the community gets the space to learn, make mistakes and rectify them. In addition, CIP aims to address all aspects of human development, not only economic development. Hence, if CIP is implemented by communities, it will contribute to the self-esteem and dignity of individuals and communities. The three pilot projects encountered a number of issues in the implementation of CIP, as described in theory by Reynolds. After analysing those, this research reaches a number of conclusions that should be taken into account when implementing CIP in a community. CIP is seriously needed in South Africa and if the recommendations of this research are taken into account, it could be very powerful in addressing the underdevelopment characterising so many areas in South Africa.