Integrated Development Planning: a Mechanism for Poverty Alleviation: the Perceptions of the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality Citizens Regarding the Implementation of the Idp

South Africa is characterised by inequitable growth and development, a high degree of poverty and the challenge of integration. The need for improved standards of living and access to better infrastructure which are seen as crucial issues in addressing poverty have necessitated the introduction of Integrated Development Planning (IDP). The IDP looks at the economic and social development of the area as a whole. It aims to coordinate the work of the local government in a coherent plan to improve the quality of life for all the people living in the community. In view of that, there is a need for proper planning and implementation of projects, as well as monitoring and assessment of success on the part of local government in order to help to eliminate poverty. In this book I investigated the implementation of IDP as a mechanism to alleviate poverty in Port Elizabeth in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality (NMBMM). As the implementation of IDP in NMBMM appears to have formidable challenges and the extensive nature of the geographical area of Port Elizabeth, the research study focused exclusively on Motherwell and KwaZakhele.