Latest News & Developments
local government and authority
Revitalising Local Government: The Need for Ethical Leadership
South Africa’s local government journey, grounded in the ideals of the White Paper and the Constitution, has achieved significant milestones. Today, over 80% of households have piped water, nearly 95% have electricity, and fewer than 20% lack internet access. Yet, these successes mask critical cracks that threaten the system’s sustainability.
The Battle for Fezile Dabi: Sipho Thomas Under Siege
The Auditor-General’s latest report praised the municipality’s financial discipline and improvements in service delivery with Sipho Thomas at the helm, says the writer.
Mayor Moya welcomes André Coetzee as Chief of Staff to enhance Tshwane’s city services
With André Coetzee as Chief of Staff, Mayor Nasiphi Moya seeks to advance Tshwane’s governance agenda and improve service delivery for all.
Gauteng residents protest amid severe water shortages, Rand Water warns of crisis
Gauteng residents are increasingly frustrated by ongoing water shortages, leading to protests in several areas.
EFF welcomes appointment of new mayoral committee members in Tshwane
With new appointments in Tshwane, the EFF pledges to ensure that all residents are treated with dignity and respect.
Dr Nasiphi Moya: A visionary leader for Tshwane's future
In 2020, Moya made the decision to leave the DA and join ActionSA, where she quickly rose through the ranks.
Ekurhuleni mayor leads anti-crime blitz in Kempton Park
Crime in Ekurhuleni has been increasing in 2024, with rises in violent crimes, including a 13. 6% increase in murder and an 11% rise in sexual offences.
Gauteng celebrates audit success amid ongoing healthcare crisis
Twenty-one departments from the Gauteng provincial government achieved clean audits and 11 departments received unqualified audit opinions.
ActionSA criticises DA for prioritising service delivery along racial lines in Tshwane
Jackie Mathabathe, ActionSA Tshwane caucus leader, has criticised the Democratic Alliance in Tshwane for prioritising service delivery based on race.
Randall Williams claims he was fired by John Steenhuisen and forced to resign as Tshwane mayor
Randall Williams recently claimed that DA leader, John Steenhuisen, informed him of his firing and pressured him to resign as Tshwane mayor, despite a coalition decision supporting his continued leadership.
Brink highlights Tshwane’s turnaround under his watch
The City of Tshwane Mayor, Cilliers Brink, held a briefing today at Tshwane House in Pretoria
Eastern Cape Department of Education hands over the newly upgraded Gabazi Junior Secondary School
It was a momentous occasion for the community who’d put up with a school that was first built with mud, and then prefabricated classrooms put up by the former Transkei government.
Formalising kasi businesses: A key step in reducing food poisoning
The Gauteng Department of Health reported 207 cases of food-borne illness, including 10 deaths so far this year, prompting a campaign to educate informal vendors on food hygiene.
Brink warns that a coalition between the ANC and EFF would be ‘terrible’ for Tshwane residents
Residents of Tshwane could witness significant political changes in their region as tensions within the current coalition government, led by the Democratic Alliance and ActionSA, threaten to unravel.
Western Cape’s clean audits highlight service gaps in townships
Auditor General Tsakani Maluleke’s recent briefing on the 2022/23 financial year’s audit outcomes has shed light on the performance of South African municipalities.
Service delivery at the core of Sello More’s vision of Mangaung Metro
Sello More shatters the myths of the few who hold power and the privilege of money against the interests and the needs of the majority who suffered so much under apartheid, says the writer.
Experts say new eThekwini mayor must work hard to restore ratepayers' confidence
It’s an interesting week ahead for the eThekwini Municipality as the City awaits the name of its new mayor.
Future of coalitions: New laws may change face of local government
There have been calls for laws to regulate coalitions following years of unstable coalitions in municipalities.
Official opposition tables Bill to limit motions to remove mayors
The chief whip of the official opposition tabled the Municipal Structures Amendment Bill to limit the number of times a motions of no confidence can be tabled against a mayor.
City of Joburg ordered to reinstate 78 officials who were fired under the DA-led multiparty coalition
In 2022, under the then mayor Mpho Phalatse, over 100 employees who had their fixed-term contracts converted to permanent, had a rude awakening when their jobs were terminated without consultation.
Western Cape Liquor Authority conduct over 800 inspections in a month
During the inspections, 33 compliance notices were issued which relates to a failure by licensees to display documentation relating to the licence and 16 non-compliance reports were submitted for more serious transgressions.
eThekwini gets a clean audit from AG, but concerns raised over irregular expenditure and service delivery issues
While celebrating a clean audit report from the Auditor-General, the eThekwini Municipality faces critical scrutiny over its doubled irregular expenditure since 2020 and under-performance in key service areas.
Local Government in 2023: How full is the glass?
The issues discussed below focus on some of the key issues requiring immediate attention and reform within municipalities, say the writers.
City of Joburg elects Margaret Arnolds as new council speaker
The speaker’s position remained vacant after the axing of Colleen Makhubele, whose membership in Cope was terminated last week.
Child labour project: Children should be in schools, not working in the fields
A report from the last survey on the Activities of Child Labour in 2019 showed that KwaZulu-Natal had the highest prevalence of child labour in the country.