National District Development Model and One Plan

Click here for the District Development Model (DDM) website

Cabinet approved the District Development Model (DDM) as an All of Government and Society Approach providing a method by which all three spheres of government and state entities work in unison in an impact-oriented way to speed up service delivery so ensuring that municipalities are properly supported and adequately resourced.

The DDM is an intergovernmental approach focusing on 44 districts and 8 metropolitan spaces for more effective joint planning, budgeting and implementation over multi-year planning and electoral cycles. Although each sphere, sector or entity has its distinct constitutional powers, functions and responsibilities, they cooperate and undertake collaborative planning, budgeting and implementation processes converging developmental efforts at the district/metropolitan level.

The objectives of the DDM are to:

• solve the silos 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 level;

• ensure inclusivity through gender-responsive budgeting based on the needs and aspirations of our people and communities at a local level;

• build government capacity to support to 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; and

• exercise oversight over budgets and projects in an accountable and transparent manner.

Nationally, the DDM is expressed through the development of a One Plan. The One Plan is defined as an intergovernmental plan setting out a 25-30 years long-term strategic framework (consisting of short, medium and long-term actions) to guide investment and delivery in relation to each of the districts and metropolitan spaces. This plan for each space is to be jointly developed and agreed to by all three spheres of government.