Participation to improve co-governance? a case study of how early childhood development centres access water and energy in Khayelitsha.

Abstract

Co-governance is achieved when citizens are able to engage in decision-making processes that lead to improved outcomes. The study interrogates the extent to which Early Childhood Development (ECD) centres in Khayelitsha use participatory processes to support co-governance in relation to their water and energy access. The hypothesis put forward is that for participation to improve co-governance, ECD centres in Khayelitsha should not only have access to participatory processes, but should also be able to actively engage in participatory processes to influence their access to water and energy. The study adopts a qualitative instrumental case study research design, due to (1) the nature of the study, (2) to showcase the lived experiences of the participants in the study, and (3) to investigate the challenges faced by the case study participants. The data collection methods used in the study were snowball and purposive sampling, semi-structured interviews, transect walks and photovoice. Alongside documentary analysis and transect walks, I conducted semi-structured interviews with 5 selected ECD centres in Khayelitsha, 2 local ward councillors, 1 City of Cape Town official, and 2 civil society organisations. The study reveals that while the selected ECD centres in Khayelitsha were able to actively engage in participatory processes, it did not in actuality influence their access to water and energy. The findings suggest that the extent to which participation has improved co-governance in relation to water and energy access is minimal. Most of the ECD centres interviewed find it challenging to register their centres with the Department of Basic Education (DBE) as they do not have adequate infrastructure. As a result, they are unable to access government resources and are tasked with finding alternative ways to access water and energy. Since the Department of Basic Education does not have the resources to support ECDS to meet their required infrastructural requirements, this study recommends that the DBE should revisit their registration standards, and that they should consider putting regulations in place to ensure that the ECDs in low-income communities who are unable to register their services at the very least have access to water and energy.