Drawing Lessons From Participatory Budgeting in Brazil for South African Municipal Participatory Budgeting

Abstract

This chapter interrogates the participatory budgeting model experimented with in Porto Alegre to draw lessons for South African municipalities. Participatory budgeting is a process in which citizens, through their civic associations, volunteer to participate regularly in decision-making about the public budget. The chapter argues that participatory budgeting allows ordinary people to activate and broaden their civic action and further demonstrates the importance of invited spaces, particularly in enabling community practices. The primary lesson for South African municipalities is the experimentation of participatory budgeting that is institutionally based on active participation through regular meetings and deliberation of issues. For example, in the Brazilian city of Porto Alegre, an increase in popular participation and investment in sectors such as housing, education, sanitation, and health was imperative. Case studies have been used as the research method instruments for this chapter.