The Cabinet of South Africa has given its approval to the Reviewed White Paper on Local Government, marking a significant step towards reforming and strengthening the country's municipal system. Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa hailed the approval as a "game changer" in the reform of local government. The Department of Cooperative Governance (DCoG) will now begin implementing the recommendations outlined in the White Paper.
The DCoG will develop a 90-day Local Government Transition Plan, outlining the immediate actions required to implement the White Paper's recommendations. The department will also establish multi-sectoral workstreams to drive the reforms. Minister Hlabisa emphasized that the approval provides an opportunity for the government to move from policy development to implementation. The Reviewed White Paper aims to reform and strengthen local government, enabling every municipality to perform its constitutional responsibilities effectively.
A transition management system will be put in place, involving the DCoG, The Presidency, and National Treasury. This system will provide political leadership, administrative authority, and coordination between government institutions. Minister Hlabisa stressed the importance of the 90-day period, stating that the government cannot allow the approval of the White Paper to become another policy milestone without visible implementation.
The November 4 local government elections will serve as a transition point for implementing the reforms in the new municipal term. The DCoG will work with various stakeholders, including the South African Local Government Association and National Treasury, to induct newly elected councillors. The programme will cover the direction of local government reform, governance, financial management, institutional capability, and service delivery.
Minister Hlabisa called on government, organised local government, traditional and Khoi-San leadership, civil society, business, labour, and communities to support the implementation process. He emphasized that building a capable and functional local government system is a shared responsibility, requiring cooperation, accountability, and decisive action.
The department plans to focus on priority reforms and projects during the first 18 months after the elections. These priorities will have identified owners, implementation milestones, and links to Annual Performance Plans and budgets, connecting the reforms to government planning, budgeting, and performance management.
The work of the Transition Management Body will be integrated into the mandates of the relevant departments, institutions, and structures once it has been processed and finalised. Minister Hlabisa reiterated that the objective is clear: every municipality must work, and every community must experience the difference that a functioning local government makes.
Key points
- The Cabinet's approval of the Reviewed White Paper on Local Government marks a significant step towards reforming and strengthening South Africa's municipal system.
- The Department of Cooperative Governance will develop a 90-day Local Government Transition Plan to implement the White Paper's recommendations.
- The reforms aim to enable every municipality to perform its constitutional responsibilities effectively, with a focus on cooperation, accountability, and decisive action.
