Abstract
This thesis discusses political participation, democracy and development in Khayelitsha in Cape Town. It looks at channels for participation and how participation relates to issues of democracy and development. In South Africa, much has happened since the transition to democracy, however a large proportion of the population is still poor, and there is a high degree of socio-economic inequality. Political participation is connected to both democracy and development, and can be a way of addressing inequality. In this thesis I argue the value of including the voices of the community in democratic processes and development issues.