President Ramaphosa calls for end to political interference in municipalities

President Cyril Ramaphosa has called for an end to politically motivated appointments, weak accountability and factional battles in municipalities, warning that South Africans can no longer be expected to endure failing services because of dysfunctional local administrations and political instability.

Too many communities have grown accustomed to services that are unreliable, infrastructure that is deteriorating and municipal administrations that are unresponsive. This cannot continue.

President Ramaphosa acknowledged that some of the problems confronting municipalities could be traced to weaknesses in the original design of the democratic local government system, including resources. However, the President said government had underestimated the importance of developing a new generation of engineers, town planners and municipal managers to support the system.

Participation cannot be reduced to meetings where people speak but nothing changes. Trust will not be restored by speeches.

He called for stronger coordination between national government, provincial administrations, municipalities and State-owned entities to ensure that investment and service delivery priorities are aligned. The launch of the Revised White Paper marks a shift towards implementing reforms intended to address the structural weaknesses of local government. Cabinet has endorsed a phased implementation approach supported by a time-bound Local Government Transition Management Body, with coordinated leadership from the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, The Presidency and National Treasury. A single Local Government Transition Plan will identify the changes required, the institutions responsible for implementing them, the sequence of actions and the resources needed to ensure that local government, even when they are difficult. Let us build municipalities that work for every South African.