Municipal Accountability Archives - FW de Klerk Foundation

WHEN PUBLIC MONEY FAILS, FAMILIES PAY TWICE

2026-08-28

In this second instalment of the FW de Klerk Foundation’s Money Smart Week South Africa 2026 series, the focus shifts from personal income to the public money that determines how far it can stretch. When services fail, families pay twice: first through taxes, tariffs and charges, and again to replace essential services privately. The article explains why following the rand, demanding accountability and participating in public processes are essential acts of constitutional citizenship

INTRODUCING THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT REPORT CARD 2026

2026-08-17

The Local Government Report Card 2026 provides an independent assessment of 50 municipalities across all nine provinces, measuring performance against five pillars of constitutional local government. The findings reveal a sharply uneven picture, with strong institutional leadership and sound financial management consistently linked to better service delivery and public accountability. By presenting clear evidence of what works, what fails and where improvement is possible, the Report Card equips residents, councillors and policymakers to demand practical, measurable change.

MUNICIPAL FAILURE IS NOT INEVITABLE AND THIS REPORT PROVES IT

2026-08-13

The FW de Klerk Foundation’s Local Government Report Card 2026 argues that municipal failure is not inevitable, but the result of identifiable institutional weaknesses that can be measured and addressed. Assessing 50 municipalities against 100 objective tests, the report highlights where local government is improving, where it is failing and what distinguishes high-performing municipalities from those in decline. It offers practical, evidence-based recommendations to strengthen constitutional governance, improve service delivery and make municipal recovery measurable.

MODERN VOTING IS NOT ENOUGH IF MUNICIPALITIES REMAIN OPAQUE

2026-07-09

South Africa is modernising the voting process through online registration, mobile tools and accessible election information. But after voters elect municipal councils, many still struggle to access clear, reliable information about service delivery, budgets, complaints and audit findings. This article argues that the 2026 local government elections must be about more than voting: Municipalities must open up, report back and account.

THE WARD COUNCILLOR YOU’VE NEVER MET IS MAKING DECISIONS ABOUT YOUR LIFE

2026-06-19

As first appeared in Sunday World. With local election turnout declining and youth disengagement deepening, too many South Africans remain disconnected from the ward councillors and municipalities that shape their daily lives. A new civic research initiative seeks to turn citizens’ experiences into evidence that can strengthen democratic participation, service delivery and municipal accountability ahead of the 2026 local government elections.

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WHEN PUBLIC MONEY FAILS, FAMILIES PAY TWICE

INTRODUCING THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT REPORT CARD 2026

MUNICIPAL FAILURE IS NOT INEVITABLE AND THIS REPORT PROVES IT

MODERN VOTING IS NOT ENOUGH IF MUNICIPALITIES REMAIN OPAQUE

THE WARD COUNCILLOR YOU’VE NEVER MET IS MAKING DECISIONS ABOUT YOUR LIFE

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