Coalitions in local government: ideas for law reform

Author: Jaap de Visser

Published: 23 Mar 2023

Coalition politics in local government, particularly in some of the country’s metropolitan municipalities continues to dominate the news for all the wrong reasons. This article offers reflections on coalition politics, and ideas for law reform to further the debate on what role, if any, the law can play in ensuring that governance in so-called “hung councils” improves.

Local Government Bulletin lgb-governance

Composing selection panels to appoint senior managers in municipalities

Author: Tinashe Carlton Chigwata

Published: 28 Mar 2023

The law provides that senior managers in municipalities must have the requisite skills to perform. It further prescribes the procedure for appointing senior managers, including the appointment of selection panels to recruit and select candidates. Appointments made outside these rules are invalid.

Local Government Bulletin

Human Settlements in the 2023/24 Budget

Author: Alison Tshangana & Luther Jubane

Published: 28 Mar 2023

Increasing 4.4% to R34.9 billion in 2023/24, the budget of the National Department of Human Settlements serves as the primary means for government to achieve its goal of integrated, sustainable human settlements. The new budget allocates R14.9 billion for the Human Settlements Development Grant (HSDG), while the Urban Settlements Development Grant (USDG) increases to R8.15 billion and the ISUPG to R8.6 billion.

Local Government Bulletin lgb-municipal-expenditure lgb-municipal-revenue lgb-infrastructure

Municipal managers must leave politics to councillors

Author: Tinashe Carlton Chigwata

Published: 28 Mar 2023

After the 2021 local government elections, politicians have been fighting to control city councils where there is no outright majority. Mayors and speakers have been elected, and removed, on a regular basis. In this turmoil, municipal managers risk become entangled in politics

Local Government Bulletin lgb-governance

Reflections on reforming municipal law and policy in harmony with laws on carriage of hazardous materials by road in South Africa

Author: Hoitsimolimo Mutlokwa

Published: 27 Mar 2023

South Africa is an industrial hub in sub-Saharan Africa and its transport industry is a 333 790 billion-rand industry that significantly contributes to taxes and employment. Many goods crisscross roads that fall under the responsibility of national, provincial, district, and local spheres of government, more specific to this discussion, are municipal roads.

lgb-powers-functions lgb-health-trade-policing Local Government Bulletin

Using a section 106 inquiry to investigate theft?

Author: Tinashe Carlton Chigwata

Published: 28 Mar 2023

Section 106 of the Municipal Systems Act of 2000 empowers the MEC for local government to request information or to appoint an investigator(s) if he or she has reason to believe that “maladministration fraud, corruption or any other serious malpractice has occurred or is occurring in a municipality”.

lgb-supervision Local Government Bulletin