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Municipal Structures Amendment Act to commence on 1 November

The Local Government: Municipal Structures Amendment Act will commence on the same day that local government elections take place. President Cyril Ramaphosa signed, on 7 October, a notice which was gazetted, informing South Africa that “Under section 39 of the Local Government: Municipal Structures Amendment Act, 2021 (Act No. 3 of 2021), I hereby determine 01 November 2021 as the Read more >

Government to tackle food parcel corruption

By Thato Mahlangu Government promises to deal “harshly” with people who may be suspected of stealing food parcels meant for struggling people during the lockdown. Media and social media reports have suggested that in some parts of the country people, including government officials – councillors in particular – have been accused of stealing food parcels. ANC Read more >

Protesting towards accountability

When you live in a poor community – where most households survive below the bread line and thus rely heavily on assistance from government – there is bound to develop, over time, a culture of activism that seeks to hold said government accountable to its service delivery promises. For the community of Thembelihle, an informal Read more >

We must hold our municipal councillors accountable

In the just-concluded local municipal elections we cast two votes – one for a party and one for an individual. Voters in areas which form part of a district council received a third ballot paper for the district council election. Those votes will result in the election of councillors, who are tasked with doing their utmost Read more >

Local government in South Africa – part 3, the councillor

By Valencia Talane Twelve years ago Simphiwe Zwane participated in her first service delivery protest in Thembelihle south of Johannesburg. The event was a landmark case of a community revolting against government plans to relocate thousands of families from one area to another. Today the 36-year-old mother of two is a councillor in the City Read more >