The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 and legislation make provision for public participation in policy making and implementation in South Africa. Although there are indications that South Africans are utilising the opportunities offered by the Constitution and legislation in this regard, authors such as Buccus questions the efficacy of public participation. In this article, it is argued that effective public participation is an imperative for sustainable democracy and effective service delivery. Within the South African context, the efficacy of public participation and its role in service delivery are discussed. Furthermore, the article suggests that civic awareness and continuous control in policy making and implementation could contribute towards sustainable democracy and effective service delivery.