Keynote address by Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa on the occasion of the White Paper on the Local Government Review Political Dialogue
Programme director, Prof. Somadoda Fikeni
Deputy Ministers of COGTA – Dr Masemola and Prince Burns-Ncamashe
Leaders and representatives of political parties
Executive Mayor of Johannesburg, Cllr Dada Morero
Auditor-General, Ms Tsakani Maluleke
Senior managers in the public service
Ladies and gentlemen
Good morning
It is an honour to welcome you all to this Dialogue on the review of the White Paper on Local Government. The purpose of this gathering today is to provide you, as representatives of political parties across our local government structures, an opportunity to engage in the review of the local government system and share your insights and perspectives.
As we embark on this critical process, we recognise the crucial role that political parties play in shaping the future of our local government system. We value your input and participation, and we look forward to hearing your thoughts on how we can improve the White Paper on Local Government.
We believe that local government is a cornerstone of our democracy and plays a vital role in delivering services to our communities. However, we also recognise that our local government system faces challenges and that we need to work together to find solutions.
The Government of National Unity, as the custodian of the 7th Administration, has resolved to dedicate the next five years to three transformative priorities: driving inclusive growth and job creation, reducing poverty and tackling the high cost of living, and building a capable, ethical, and developmental state. At the heart of this agenda lies local government, the sphere of governance closest to the people. Local government is where policies become services, promises become infrastructure, and governance becomes tangible. Yet, local government is also where our deepest challenges are most visible.
The Medium-Term Development Plan (MTDP) 2024-2029 proposes a review of local government’s institutional and legislative frameworks to strengthen them and support differentiation. The goal is to establish mechanisms for effective interventions when municipalities cannot meet minimum norms and standards for service delivery. Approaches will be developed to assist local governments in creating an environment that promotes and supports local economic development. Other national departments, such as Water and Sanitation, Transport, Energy and Human Settlements, will also be mobilised to contribute in a structured and coordinated manner to strengthen local government.
The 1998 White Paper on Local Government is a foundational document that introduced developmental local government as a cornerstone of our democracy. It outlines a vision for local government that is focused on promoting social and economic development and ensuring that municipalities are responsive to the needs of their communities.
However, after nearly three decades, it is clear that some structural and systemic assumptions made in the White Paper need to be re-examined. The current challenges facing our local government system are complex and multifaceted, and it is evident that the 1998 White Paper cannot stand the test of time. Issues such as the funding model for municipalities, the deployment of political leadership into the executive committees of councils, and the exclusion of traditional leaders from key decision-making processes have all contributed to the challenges we face today.
The funding model for municipalities is a particular challenge, as it often relies heavily on transfers from the national government and fails to provide sufficient resources for municipalities to deliver basic services to their communities. This has led to many municipalities struggling to provide even the most basic services, such as water, sanitation, and electricity.
Another significant challenge is the deployment of inappropriate political leadership into the executive committees of the municipalities. In some cases, individuals are deployed into leadership positions without the necessary skills or experience, which can lead to poor decision-making and ineffective governance. This can have serious consequences for the delivery of services and the overall well-being of communities.
The exclusion of traditional leaders from key decision-making processes is also a challenge that needs to be addressed. Traditional leaders play a critical role in many communities, and their exclusion can lead to a lack of understanding and responsiveness to community needs.
CoGTA officially launched the review of the White Paper on Local Government (WPLG98), under the theme: “Every Municipality Must Work – A Call to Collective Action” on 19 May 2025. The event was attended by more than 300 delegates representing Cabinet, Parliament, political parties, provincial executives, National House of Traditional and Khoi-San Leaders, provincial houses of traditional leaders, metropolitan municipalities, district municipalities, intermediate cities, local municipalities, national and provincial government departments, state institutions and public entities, organised local government, organised business, organised labour, civil society, research organisations and media. The launch marked the beginning of an all-inclusive and participatory policy reform process to design a modern as well as fit-for-purpose local government system.
During recent stakeholder engagements led by CoGTA, participants identified serious challenges impacting local government performance since the adoption of the 1998 White Paper. Several key factors were identified:
- Shifting contexts and pressures such as rapid urbanisation, technological advancements, climate change, and global economic pressures
- Weak implementation and capacity challenges
- Systematic hollowing out of local government capacity
- Regulatory and oversight failures
- Manipulative conduct and corruption
- Structural and systemic design gaps
- Over-politicisation of governance processes
We have identified some key areas that we would like to explore during this review, including:
- The appropriateness of the current system of 52 district municipalities and 257 local municipalities
- The role of political parties in local government
- The importance of community-led development and participatory governance
- The need for effective financial management and accountability in municipalities
- The impact of coalition governments on local governance
- The challenges of ensuring effective service delivery in rural and urban areas
- The importance of promoting social and economic development in local communities
We would like to hear your thoughts on these issues and any other matters that you believe are relevant to the review of the White Paper. We are particularly interested in hearing about your experiences and perspectives on local government, and about any innovative solutions or approaches that you believe could improve the system.
Some of the questions we would like to pose to you include:
- What are your views on the current system of local government? Is it effective in delivering services to our communities?
- How can we strengthen the role of political parties in local government and ensure that they promote accountability and good governance?
- What are your thoughts on community-led development and participatory governance, and how can we promote these principles in our municipalities?
- How can we improve financial management and accountability in municipalities, and ensure that they are practical and efficient in delivering services?
- How can we ensure that coalition governments work effectively in local government and that they promote stability and good governance?
- What role should municipalities play in promoting social and economic development in local communities?
- How can we ensure that municipalities are responsive to the needs of their communities and that they deliver services in a way that is equitable and sustainable?
We have also identified nine priorities for change that we believe are critical to improving the local government system. These priorities include:
- Combating unethical behaviour and poor accountability
- Depoliticising municipal governance
- Restoring relationships with communities
- Promoting community-led development
- Improving municipal financial management
- Enhancing municipal capacity
- Strengthening oversight and accountability mechanisms
- Fostering partnerships
- Promoting stability and effective governance
We would like to hear your thoughts on these priorities and any other areas you believe are critical to improving the local government system.
In particular, we would like to hear your views on the following:
- How can we ensure that municipalities can deliver basic services to our communities, such as water, sanitation, and electricity?
- How can we promote economic development and job creation in local communities?
- How can we ensure that municipalities are responsive to the needs of their communities and that they deliver services in a way that is equitable and sustainable?
- What role should municipalities play in promoting social development and addressing social challenges in local communities?
This dialogue is an important opportunity for us to come together and share our perspectives on the future of local government. We look forward to hearing your thoughts and ideas and to working together to build a better future for all South Africans.
I would also like to remind you about the Discussion Document gazetted for public comment on 10 April 2025, which aims to ensure maximum participation from communities and stakeholders. Everyone is invited to submit comments by 30 June 2025 and further engage before the updated White Paper is published next year. The aim is to publish an updated White Paper on Local Government by March 2026, so we are depending on the active participation of everyone to support the process, which will include engaging evidence-based research and developing policy solutions.
In conclusion, I would like to emphasise that your participation and contributions are crucial to the success of this process. I am grateful for the time and effort you have taken to join us today. I look forward to a productive and engaging discussion, and I am excited to hear your thoughts and ideas on how we can work together to build a better future for all South Africans.
Let us work together to make this dialogue a success and to ensure that our local government system is responsive to the needs of our communities.
I thank you.
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