• Home
• News
• Understanding the District Development Model (DDM)

Understanding the District Development Model (DDM)

One District, One Approach, One Plan, One Budget.

1. What is the DDM?

It is a government approach to improve integrated planning and service delivery across the three spheres of government, with district and metropolitan spaces as focal points of government and private sector investment.

2. Why the DDM?

The DDM was approved by Cabinet on 21 August 2019 with the intention to:

• drastically improve cooperative governance and intergovernmental coherence aimed at building a capable and ethical developmental state.
• harness a strategic country approach across all the three spheres of government in relation to the 52 districts and metropolitan regions or spaces.
• introduce a practical model and method of government, operating in areas of joint planning, budgeting and implementation.
• enable, through the joint planning by all the three spheres of government, sector departments and state entities, a strategic long-term perspective over multi-year planning, budgeting and electoral cycles.
• package joint planning results into a long-term strategic framework called One Plan.
• guide and improve the spatialisation and reprioritisation of programmes, and budgets of all the three spheres of government.
• use all existing Inter-Governmental Relations (IGR) structures for the approval, adoption and monitoring of One Plans.
• champion the DDM at the highest level through the President and Cabinet, supported by the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA).
• introduce DDM hubs as part of CoGTA extended capacity.
• improve the state of local government.

3. Objectives of the DDM

The overall strategic objectives of the DDM are to:

• solve the silos approach to service delivery at a horizontal and vertical level.
• maximise impact and align plans and resources at our disposal through the development of “One District, One Plan and One Budget”.
• narrow the distance between people and government by strengthening the coordination role and capacities at the district and city levels.
• ensure inclusivity by gender budgeting based on the needs and aspirations of our people and communities at a local level.
• build government capacity to support municipalities.
• strengthen monitoring and evaluation at district and local levels.
• implement a balanced approach towards development between urban and rural areas.
• ensure sustainable development whilst accelerating initiatives to promote poverty eradication, employment and equality.
• exercise oversight over budgets and projects in an accountable and transparent manner.

4. Implementation of the DDM

The DDM implementation process will be done through two interrelated processes, which will be followed by the whole of government. These processes are spatialisation and reprioritisation.

Spatialisation refers to translating development priorities and objectives into spatial locations (district and metropolitan areas) manifesting in physical impacts on people’s lives and the places they live in.
Reprioritisation means reviewing and changing plans and budgets to realise the desired physical impacts. The DDM will be implemented, therefore, through the spatialisation of development priorities and objectives, and the review and reprioritisation of plans, budgets and programmes by each sphere, sector department and state entity.

5. What are DDM hubs?

DDM hubs are part of the overall institutional arrangements for the implementation of the DDM.They form part of the extension of CoGTA’s capacity for purposes of playing its role in driving the institutionalisation of the DDM and facilitating the formulation, adoption, implementation, monitoring and review of the One Plans.

A DDM hub is conceived as a functional network of support and a facilitation system for intergovernmental planning in relation to a specific district or metropolitan space or a combination of district spaces or metropolitan spaces.

6. Objectives of DDM hubs

The key objectives of the DDM hubs are to:

• facilitate and enable role players across government and society to have a shared appreciation and understanding of the metropolitan context, challenges and opportunities.
• facilitate and enable the development of a common vision underpinned by commonly agreed and practical desired future outcomes.
• facilitate and enable agreement by role players across government and society regarding strategic interventions, models for change and transformation, targets, commitments and responsibilities in order to achieve the commonly agreed desired future outcomes.
• link with existing local institutions and bodies to enable credible data, information, research and knowledge systems for evidence-based decision-making.
• facilitate credible and deep intergovernmental collaboration and planning sessions that enable the ironing out of contradictions, misalignments and duplication of resources and functions.
• guide and ensure robust technical work and preparations undertaken by all national and provincial departments, state entities and municipalities in contributing and shaping the One Plans.
• package critical issues for coordination, alignment and decision- making and articulation of such into the One Plan; and
• synergise national priorities, objectives, targets and local dynamics, objectives and participatory planning, Intergrated Development Plans (IDPs), etc.

7. Development of the One Plan

The One Plan is an intergovernmental plan setting out a long-term strategic framework to guide investment and delivery in relation to a specific district or metropolitan space. It is collaboratively produced by all the three spheres of government (“CoCreated”), informed by their existing plans.

The joint planning culminates in an Intergovernmental One Plan in relation to each of the 52 District and Metropolitan spaces.The One Plan is a Strategic Long-Range Framework including short, medium and long-term objectives/interventions to guide all state and private investment within the district and metropolitan areas. It is not a detailed or comprehensive plan covering the full range of departmental and municipal responsibilities. The One Plan is developed through a collaborative process and facilitates a shared understanding of the district/metro space among all role players.
It outlines a common vision and desired future outcomes.

It also elaborates targets and key commitments of all the three spheres of government and stakeholders and is adopted as an IGR and Social Compact.The implementation of the One Plans is undertaken by each sphere of government through the prescribed Government Planning Cycle, which includes the review of Medium-Term Strategic Framework, formulation/review of sector strategies, departmental strategic plans and annual performance plans, and municipal Growth and Development Strategies, Spatial Development Frameworks and IDPs.

Follow us and participate in discussions on @GovernmentZA #PresidentialImbizo