To comply with legislation enacted to encourage community involvement in local government (the Constitution, section 152 (1) (e) and the Municipal Systems Act, section 16), the IDP Department engages Cape Town's residents to comment on the the City's 5 Year Plan via subcouncils and ward forums during March and April and September and October.
Public participation meetings are advertised 14 days beforehand in local and regional newspapers. Depending on the communities, loud-hailing and radio advertisements are also used as marketing tools.

During these engagements, the business sector, labour, non-governmental organisations, municipal entities, state owned enterprises and neighbouring municipalities are involved.

These inputs are then sent to the City's different line departments to consider in their projects and programmes, and allocate resources.

Comments may be made via:

• Written comments
• Verbal presentations
• E-mail (idp@capetown.gov.za)
• IDP SMS line: sms 'IDP' followed by the message to 31766
• The feedback forms at subcouncils
• Fax: 021 400 4909
• Telephone: 021 400 9803
  
• Comment form. This is an MS Word document, which should be completed, then returned to the above e-mail address as an attachment
• The online comment form. Note: This needs an e-mail program such as MS Outlook installed on your computer to operate.