One of the most profound changes to the territorial governance processes in South Africa after 1994, was the recognition of the importance of public participation in the preparation of various planning instruments. Since 1994, there has been deliberate efforts towards stakeholder participation emphasised in post-apartheid legislation and guidelines for Integrated Development Plans and Spatial Development Frameworks. These frameworks prescribe in detail how such engagements can and should take place, however most stakeholder engagement processes still seem unable to produce plans that appreciate and reflect community dynamics that can lead to community social and spatial transformation. Civil society organisations such as NGOs, have become critical role players in spatial and social transformation. Their proximity to communities often affords them a better understanding of local opportunities and challenges than municipal authorities. By taking advantage of this proximity, civil society organisations have discovered other meaningful forms of stakeholder participation, such as network and partnership-building approaches. These approaches build social capital and lead to increased resources and a capacity for transformation. This chapter reviews the lessons learnt from traditional consultative approaches applied in territorial governance processes in South Africa since 1994, considers the impact of these processes on spatial transformation in general, and reflects on the potential value of novel approaches such as community-based networks that have emerged.