The 5th Edition of the African School on Decentralisation (ASD), themed Decentralisation and Finances, hosted by the Dullah Omar Institute [South African Research Chair in Multilevel Government] at the University of the Western Cape and the Centre of Federalism and Governance Studies at Addis Ababa University, brought together 24 dynamic participants from 10 vibrant African countries for an unforgettable experience from 13–25 October 2025.
news: Local Gov
The Dullah Omar Institute’s Prof Jaap de Visser has played a key role in supporting the establishment of the Government of National Unity Clearing House Mechanism (GNU Clearing House) through expert legal-governance input and refinement of its operational framework.
news: Local Gov
How should municipalities in South Africa be governed, and how are they financed? What are their powers and what are their service delivery obligations? How do national and provincial governments relate to them? How do municipalities procure goods and services and what is the legal framework for managing land use? And how does South Africa’s local government system compare with systems elsewhere in Africa?
news: Local Gov
"The University of the Western Cape (UWC) proudly acknowledges the contribution of Professor Benyam Dawit Mezmur – a renowned scholar in the Dullah Omar Institute (DOI) in the Faculty of Law – to the Vatican’s global safeguarding efforts against child sexual abuse." - UWC
Prof Jaap de Visser, South African Research Chair in Multilevel Government, Law and Development at the Dullah Omar Institute, University of the Western Cape, is one of LGIU’s top 25 thinkers in local government.
news: Local Gov
The Dullah Omar Institute and the Faculty of Law at the University of the Western Cape, in collaboration with the Omar Family, are honoured to present the 15th Dullah Omar Memorial Lecture.
Want to be at the cutting edge of justice and human rights in Africa? This course opens up vital debates on how power is exercised through detention and criminal justice - and how law can be used to challenge abuse, inequality, and corruption.
ACJR News
The following articles are available in this issue:
news: Local Gov
Celebrating the 5th African School on Decentralisation: A Journey of Learning, Leadership, and Lasting Connections
