In order to improve the coordination and integration of development in rural areas, President Mbeki announced the Integrated Sustainable Rural Development Strategy (ISRDS) in February 2001, during the State of the Nation Address. Since then the ISRDS has been transformed into an implementable programme, the Integrated Sustainable Rural Development Programme (ISRDP). The Department of Provincial and Local Government is the national coordinating institution and has overall responsibility for the ISRDP. Cabinet appointed the Independent Development Trust (IDT) to provide support services to the programme while thirteen rural nodes have been identified as priority areas for rural development and investment.

Significant investment in rural areas between 1994 and 2000 proved to not have the envisaged impact in alleviating the endemic poverty and strengthening local institution. It appeared that the range and quality of development and anti-poverty programmes in existence are appropriate, but the impact of these programmes was weakened by poor coordination and integration to provide an integrated basket of services that matched local priorities. In response to this, the aim, vision and core principles of this programme were therefore articulated as being:

The Aim of the ISRDP:

To conduct a sustained campaign against rural and urban poverty and underdevelopment, bringing in the resources of all three spheres of government in a coordinated manner.

The Vision of the ISRDP:

To attain socially cohesive and stable communities with viable institutions, sustainable economies and universal access to social amenities, able to attract skilled and knowledgeable people, equipped to contribute to their own and the nation’s growth and development.

The core principles of the ISRDP:

• To promote participatory development in an integrated manner by ensuring that, where appropriate, decision-making involves local communities and all three spheres of government;

• To promote co-operative governance across all three spheres of government;

• To promote the values of the Constitution and the principles of Batho Pele;

• To integrate various governmental rural development initiatives;

• To develop the capacity of local government to effectively implement the ISRDP;

• To adhere to the principles of good governance and the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA);

• To target the rural poor, women, youth and the disabled in particular.