When silence undermines intergovernmental support: SADA v Minister of Cooperative Governance

The Constitutional Court’s judgment in Socialist Agenda of Dispossessed Africans v Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs [2025 ZACC 26] is a case about the establishment of executive committees and fair representation in municipalities.

South Africa’s youth uncertain about voting in the upcoming Local Government Elections

Scepticism surrounds South African youth participation in the 2026 local government elections. This is mainly due to growing disillusionment and a lack of trust in the political system.

Unpacking the new proposals in the “Second Municipal Structures Amendment Bill of 2025”

In January 2025, a private members bill titled the “Local Government: Second Structures Amendment Bill” was recently introduced in the National Assembly by a member of parliament, George Michalakis (Democratic Alliance).

Pharmaceutical waste: A hidden threat in municipal waste management

Everyone has the constitutional right to an environment that is not harmful to their health or well-being. Yet pharmaceutical waste poses a unique and often overlooked threat to this right.

High Court finds NERSA's approval of municipal electricity tariffs unconstitutional

South African citizens have faced steadily rising electricity tariffs over recent years, with further increases anticipated in the near future. This trend has placed significant financial pressure on households and businesses alike.

The Auditor-General’s new teeth in action: R4.6 million certificate of debt issued to a municipal manager

South Africa reached important turning point for public financial accountability when the Auditor-General (AG) issued their first certificate of debt against the municipal manager of the Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality, on 14 November 2025.

Externalising services in distressed municipalities – a new solution to a persistent problem? Part 1

In some municipalities, basic service delivery is collapsing. These municipalities struggle with a combination of political instability, governance challenges, consumer debt, debt to bulk service providers, aging infrastructure etc.

Externalising services in distressed municipalities – a new solution to a persistent problem? Part 2

This article is the second in a two-part series about externalising municipal services in response to municipal distress.

The significance of the 2025 G20 South Africa Summit on local governance

The G20 Summit hosted by South Africa in Johannesburg on 22-23 November 2025 marked a pivotal moment for global dialogue under the theme “Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability”.

Righting wrongs: Western Cape Province seeks to formalise the assignment of the library services function to municipalities

Headline: At the recent 5th African School on Decentralisation held by the Dullah Omar Institute, the Executive Mayor of the City of Cape Town, Geordin Hill-Lewis, bemoaned the challenge of unfunded or underfunded mandates on municipalities.

Can municipal councils fund councillor education and training?

Municipal councillors play a key role in governance. They are responsible for oversight, ensuring accountability, and holding the municipal administration to account.

Free State High Court compels the provincial government to intervene in the dysfunctional Ngwathe Local Municipality

The Ngwathe Local Municipality within the Fezile Dabi District Municipality, encompassing towns such as Parys, Tumahole, Heilbron, Koppies, and Vredefort in South Africa’s Free State Province, has been embroiled in a severe governance and service delivery crisis for years.

How to address systemic sabotage of essential water infrastructure?

On 25 June 2025, the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC), mandated to promote, protect and monitor human rights, released a policy brief which explores what the government and other state actors can do to address the systemic sabotage of essential water infrastructure in municipalities.

Delays in finalising disciplinary hearings of senior managers will cost municipalities

This article discusses the process of enforcing consequence management against senior managers alleged to have committed financial misconduct, as well as the consequences for not enforcing discipline within the prescribed timeframes.

Justice delayed for a whistleblower: Lessons from the Bloem Case

Even though whistleblowing is recognised as one of the most effective tools for fighting corruption, few government institutions in South Africa commit to supporting those who speak out.

Provincial interventions into municipalities: Are financial recovery plans working?

Municipalities provide essential services such as electricity, water, sanitation and roads, as well as local amenities, local tourism and public transport, which are integral to achieve socio-economic transformation in local communities.

Mandated but missing: Provinces dodging interventions

“When local government works – when basic services like water, sanitation, education, electrification and health care – are distributed efficiently and equitably, people’s quality of life is improved, businesses thrive and economies grow and the dignity of our people is assured”.

Front companies and “ghost CVs” are thriving in municipal procurement

Municipal procurement in South Africa looks compliant on paper. But behind the paperwork, two practices are eroding integrity and hollowing out capacity of municipalities to deliver services and implement development projects effectively.

Reviewing the White Paper on Local Government: The need for greater coordination and cooperation

South Africa’s local government system, once described as the ‘most advanced in the world’, has not performed as intended. In fact, most of South Africa's 257 municipalities are not fulfilling their constitutional mandate, often unable to deliver basic services due to mismanagement, corruption, and lack of capacity, among other issues.

The local government election season is back: What does it mean for voters, service delivery, councillors, municipal officials and political parties?

The Independent Electoral Commission's (IEC) recent announcement of local government elections, set for November 2026 to January 2027, has opened the election season.

Parallel councils and duplicate management teams: The crisis in Thabazimbi Local Municipality

The Thabazimbi Local Municipality in Limpopo has been dysfunctional since 2021, paralysed by parallel municipal councils and management teams led by rival African National Congress (ANC) and Democratic Alliance (DA) coalitions.

Making use of citizen-based monitoring approach to improve service delivery by municipalities

Over the last decade, South African municipalities have been at the forefront of escalating public frustration, with persistent complaints over poor service delivery leading to widespread protests across the country.

ConCourt bans only senior managers from holding political office

The recent 2023/24 Consolidated General Report on Local Government Audit Outcomes paints a bleak picture of governance in municipalities. Only 41 out of 257 municipalities received clean audit outcomes for the 2023/24 financial period, and there are more audit regressions than improvements (Auditor General, 2025: 25).

The role of special economic zones in the promotion of local economic development

Special Economic Zones (SEZs) are key tools used to attract investment, promote industrial development, and create jobs in South Africa. Zones like COEGA, Dube TradePort, and Saldanha Bay have recorded notable investment inflows and helped stimulate economic growth in their regions.

A decade into the implementation of SPLUMA: What have we learnt?

The 1st of July 2025 marks the 10th year anniversary since the Spatial Planning and Land Use Management Act of 2013 (SPLUMA) came into effect. SPLUMA regulates spatial planning and land use management in South Africa.

The implementation of the Municipal Staff Regulations in South Africa: Challenges, successes and future directions

Local government in South Africa faces systemic structural challenges, including governance failures, administrative inefficiencies and misaligned human resource practices.