The 1998 "'mini-constitution' for local government" : a review of the assumptions of the white paper on local government

Abstract

Many South African municipalities suffer service-delivery problems that can usually be ascribed to inadequate management, skills, and budgets. The reasons for these, in turn, invariably include weak economic base, unwise spending of available funds, and difficulty in recruiting and retaining skilled staff. The White Paper on Local Government of 1998, to which Valli Moosa, the then Minister for Provincial Affairs and Constitutional Development, referred as “almost [being] regarded as a ‘mini-Constitution’ for local government”, together with the Municipal Demarcation Act of the same year, spelled out the framework in terms of which the local government system would be transformed. Municipalities, covering the entire country “wall-to-wall”, were thereafter established and powers and functions were assigned to them. After more than two decades, there can no longer be any doubt that many municipalities are, to a significant extent, failing in their primary duty of delivering services. The author sought to investigate to what extent this failing is due to flaws in the ‘mini-Constitution’. By examining aspects of the performance of municipalities, the article assesses key assumptions made by the drafters of the White Paper in respect of a number of key attributes for service delivery. These attributes include sufficient skills and funding, prudent budgeting and effective spending, good leadership, adequate systems and data, stability of the senior leadership, and the presence of trust and credibility. The article finds that many of the assumptions were flawed, with severe consequences for service delivery.

Baie Suid-Afrikaanse munisipaliteite het diensleweringsprobleme wat gewoonlik aan onvoldoende bestuur, vaardighede en begrotings toegeskryf kan word. Die redes hiervoor sluit altyd op sy beurt swak ekonomiese basis, onverstandige besteding van beskikbare fondse en probleme met die werwing en behoud van geskoolde personeel in. Die Witskrif oor Plaaslike Regering van 1998, waarna Valli Moosa, destydse Minister van Provinsiale Sake en Grondwetlike Ontwikkeling, verwys het as “byna beskou [word] as ’n ‘mini-Grondwet’ vir plaaslike regering”, tesame met die Munisipale Afbakeningswet van dieselfde jaar, het die raamwerk uitgespel ingevolge waarvan die destydse plaaslike regeringstelsel getransformeer sou word. Munisipaliteite, wat die hele land ‘muur-tot-muur’ dek, is daarna gestig en magte en funksies is aan hulle toegewys. Ná meer as twee dekades kan daar geen twyfel meer wees dat baie munisipaliteite in ’n beduidende mate misluk in hul primêre plig om dienste te lewer nie. Die outeur het gepoog om te ondersoek in watter mate hierdie mislukking te wyte is aan gebreke in die ‘mini-Grondwet’. Deur aspekte van die prestasie van munisipaliteite te ondersoek, ondersoek die artikel belangrike aannames wat deur die opstellers van die Witskrif gemaak is ten opsigte van sleutelkenmerke vir dienslewering, soos voldoende vaardighede en befondsing, omsigtige begroting en effektiewe besteding, goeie leierskap, voldoende stelsels en data, stabiliteit van die senior leierskap en die teenwoordigheid van vertroue en geloofwaardigheid. Die artikel bevind dat baie van die aannames gebrekkig was, met ernstige gevolge vir dienslewering.