SALGA Calls for Nationwide Public Participation in Review of Local Govt System

The South African Local Government Association (SALGA) has issued a nationwide call for citizens, civil society groups, businesses, labour formations, traditional leaders and public institutions to actively participate in what it describes as a “defining and historical process” that could fundamentally reshape the future of local governance in South Africa.

The appeal follows the publication of the Reviewed Draft White Paper on Local Government for public comment by Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa, who has given stakeholders until 28 May to submit proposals, concerns and recommendations.

The draft White Paper represents one of the most significant policy reviews of South Africa’s municipal governance system since the adoption of the original 1998 White Paper on Local Government nearly three decades ago.

Landmark Review of a 27-Year-Old Governance Framework

The 1998 White Paper laid the foundation for South Africa’s democratic local government system following the end of apartheid and has guided municipal governance, service delivery, decentralisation and developmental planning ever since.

However, mounting concerns over governance failures, financial instability, service delivery protests, political interference, infrastructure collapse and administrative inefficiency have intensified calls for structural reforms across the municipal sector.

SALGA President Bheke Stofile acknowledged that while the current system achieved important gains over the past 27 years, it has not consistently functioned as intended.

“We support the reviewing the 1998 White Paper on Local Government, which has served South Africa for nearly three decades. While the current system of local government has laid a solid foundation and delivered important gains, it has not consistently worked as intended,” Stofile said.

The review process began in April 2025 with the release of a national discussion document that triggered extensive consultations across provinces, municipalities, governance experts and sector stakeholders.

Public Participation Seen as Crucial to Democratic Reform

SALGA stressed that the White Paper review process is not merely an administrative exercise, but a critical opportunity for citizens to directly influence how municipalities will operate in the coming decades.

Stofile urged communities and institutions across the country to participate actively in shaping the next era of local governance.

He emphasised that the process would determine:

• How municipalities are structured

• How resources are allocated

• How communities engage with councils

• How accountability is enforced

• How municipal services are delivered

• How local economic development is supported

“This defining and historical process will determine the kind of local governance communities experience in the next decades,” Stofile said.

Governance analysts say broad public participation is especially important given growing frustration among citizens over:

• Water shortages

• Electricity disruptions

• Waste management failures

• Corruption allegations

• Poor infrastructure maintenance

• Financial mismanagement in municipalities

SALGA’s Reform Proposals Shape Draft White Paper

SALGA confirmed that it worked closely with the Dullah Omar Institute at the University of the Western Cape to formulate detailed proposals for the White Paper review.

The association said it is encouraged that many of its recommendations have already been incorporated into the gazetted draft.

The proposals focus heavily on improving governance efficiency, strengthening accountability, professionalising administration and ensuring municipalities are financially sustainable.

Major Structural Reforms Proposed

Among the most significant proposals reflected in the draft White Paper are reforms aimed at simplifying and modernising municipal structures.

Fit-for-Purpose Municipal Structures

SALGA has advocated for a more practical and differentiated municipal system rather than maintaining uniform governance models nationwide.

Key proposals include:

• Simplifying local government structures

• Retaining district municipalities mainly in low-capacity regions

• Strengthening metropolitan and urban municipalities

• Reducing duplication of responsibilities

Experts say this could significantly alter how district and local municipalities operate, particularly in rural areas where governance challenges remain severe.

Moving Away From “One-Size-Fits-All” Governance

One of the central reforms proposed is the introduction of differentiated powers and functions for municipalities.

Under this approach, municipalities would no longer all operate under identical governance expectations.

Instead, powers would be assigned based on:

• Institutional capacity

• Governance performance

• Financial stability

• Developmental needs

• Population size

• Urbanisation levels

Policy specialists say this could help stronger municipalities operate more efficiently while allowing struggling municipalities to receive targeted support and oversight.

Professionalisation of Municipal Administration

A major focus of the review is the professionalisation of municipal administrations — an issue repeatedly raised by governance experts and anti-corruption advocates.

SALGA’s proposals include:

• Competency-based recruitment systems

• Reduced political interference in appointments

• Stronger performance management systems

• Improved administrative accountability

• Enhanced ethical enforcement mechanisms

Analysts say these reforms are intended to address longstanding concerns about politically motivated appointments and administrative instability within municipalities.

Strengthening Accountability and Oversight

The draft White Paper also includes reforms aimed at strengthening governance accountability and improving institutional oversight.

These measures include:

• Clearer separation between councillors and municipal administration

• Improved ethical enforcement frameworks

• Stronger oversight systems

• Enhanced governance transparency

Experts argue that improving oversight will be critical in restoring public trust in municipalities, particularly in areas where corruption scandals and governance failures have eroded confidence in local authorities.

Community Participation and Public Engagement Expanded

SALGA is also pushing for stronger community participation mechanisms as part of the governance overhaul.

Proposed reforms include:

• Revitalising ward committees

• Expanding transparency measures

• Improving public consultation systems

• Strengthening partnerships with communities and stakeholders

The association believes more meaningful engagement between municipalities and residents could improve accountability while helping local governments respond more effectively to community needs.

Fiscal Sustainability at the Centre of Reforms

Financial sustainability remains one of the biggest challenges facing South African municipalities, with many local governments struggling with debt, declining revenue collection and infrastructure backlogs.

To address this, the draft White Paper includes proposals aimed at reinforcing the principle that:“funding follows functions.”

Key financial reforms include:

• Protecting municipal revenue sources

• Strengthening financial management systems

• Aligning funding allocations with municipal responsibilities

• Improving long-term fiscal planning

Municipal finance experts say sustainable funding models will be essential if municipalities are expected to meet growing service delivery demands amid rising urbanisation and economic pressures.

Reform Process Could Shape South Africa’s Democratic Future

The White Paper review is widely viewed as one of the most important local governance reform initiatives since South Africa’s democratic transition.

Governance specialists believe the final framework could have far-reaching implications for:

• Service delivery

• Economic development

• Infrastructure management

• Public participation

• Municipal accountability

• Political governance

• Social stability

SALGA said the review process represents a rare opportunity to modernise local governance while preserving democratic gains achieved since 1994.

Public Comment Process Open Until 28 May

Stakeholders have until 28 May to submit comments on the Reviewed Draft White Paper on Local Government.

Submissions can be sent via email to:

• WPLG26@cogta.gov.za

• RichardP@cogta.gov.za

• MaphutiL@cogta.gov.za

Written submissions may also be posted or hand-delivered to the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs in Pretoria.

The Reviewed Draft White Paper is available online via the official government publication platform.

As consultations continue, policymakers, governance experts and civil society organisations are expected to intensify debate around how South Africa can build a more accountable, capable and sustainable local government system capable of meeting the demands of future generations.