Effective infrastructure governance is essential for driving inclusive economic growth, particularly in rural and under-resourced regions. While global models increasingly embrace community-centred approaches to infrastructure planning, implementation, and oversight, many local development agencies in Africa continue to operate within centralised and technocratic frameworks that marginalise community voices. This desktop research paper explores how international best practices in infrastructure governance, drawing on experiences from Chile, the Netherlands, and South Korea - can inform locally responsive solutions in the Joe Gqabi District, Eastern Cape, South Africa. Using participatory governance theory, institutional theory, and public value theory as analytical lenses, the study examines how infrastructure systems can be reoriented to prioritise social inclusion, accountability, and sustainability. The findings highlight inclusive stakeholder engagement, decentralized decision-making, institutional coordination, and capacity development as critical enablers of effective community-centred infrastructure governance. The paper concludes by proposing a practical governance framework for municipalities and government agencies aimed at translating global insights into tangible local development outcomes.
