The FW de Klerk Foundation notes National Treasury’s decision to withhold transfers to non-compliant municipalities and Parliament’s call for their urgent compliance. These developments confirm what has become crystal clear: Many municipalities across South Africa faces a deep and persistent governance crisis.
Overall State: The 2024-25 Auditor-General report reveals that local government has failed to achieve a turnaround, resulting in unreliable services and failing infrastructure.
Lusanda Mahkuntsu considers the Constitutional Court’s decision on whether the tie-breaking mechanism in the Local Government: Municipal Structures Act, 1998 is constitutional.
Daniela Ellerbeck outlines the Foundation’s recent submission on the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs’ Discussion Document on the Review of the White Paper on Local Government.
The FW de Klerk Foundation has answered the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs’ call for public comments on its Discussion Document on the Review of the White Paper on Local Government.
The FW de Klerk Foundation welcomes the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Local Government: Municipal Structures Amendment Bill 2024.
Daniela Ellerbeck, Constitutional Rights Programme Manager, reviews the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs’ bills that proffer solutions to address the problem of shaky municipal coalitions – the Coalition Bill and the General Bill.
Ismail Joosub takes a look at why South Africa’s coalition governments have been unstable. It also looks at the legislative efforts aimed at formalising these agreements and the necessity of detailed coalition agreements to secure coherent policy implementation.
Daniela Ellerbeck and Ismail Joosub discuss South Africa’s form of local government (municipalities) and how municipal councils are elected and composed, with consideration of the Constitution, the Local Government: Municipal Structures Act, 1998, as well as coalitions’ track record of service delivery in certain areas.
