Public participation as participatory conflict resolution: Shortcomings and best practices at the local level in South Africa.

In South Africa the constitutional order brought about by the transition to democracy, and the subsequent policy and legislation frameworks, have enabled ordinary people to participate in governance and policy making. Yet, according to some studies, the importance of participation - agreed to by politicians, practised and promoted by academics - has yet to be translated into a lived reality at the local level. In this paper, I write about the debates on participation, its advantages, and disadvantages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]