President Cyril Ramaphosa struck the right chord in his State of the Nation Address when he stated, “A capable state must start where people live and work.” Local government exemplifies this reality more than any other sphere.
Regrettably, many leaders have neglected local government, largely because it is perceived as less attractive and less financially rewarding than positions in provincial legislatures and parliament.
It is unfortunate that local government is often viewed as a “dumping ground”. The only time an MP is redeployed to local government is typically when that person is earmarked to become an executive mayor of a metropolitan municipality.
It is my considered view that the local government is deliberately being weakened and appears to be reserved for those considered surplus to provincial and national structures. Until we start recognising local government as the key point of service delivery, good governance and excellence, we will continue to see municipalities being placed under administration, even a relatively not-so- complex municipality such as Ditsobotla Local Municipality.
This trend of undermining local government will not stop anytime soon as long as leaders continue to believe that infrastructure such as schools, clinics, roads, bridges, hospitals, police stations, etc, is built somewhere at the provincial or national level. The government will remain meaningless to ordinary people if their lived experiences tell a different story, where they are forced daily to navigate potholes, endure blocked sewer pipes, and live in fear due to a lack of visible policing.
Building a capable and developmental state and professionalising the public service across all spheres will not be achieved through endless talks.
Meaningful change will not occur without considering amendments to the Constitution and other relevant legislation that make it far too easy to become a public representative at any level of government.
The entry and minimum requirements for becoming a public representative are as old as our 30‑year‑old Constitution. These outdated provisions make it far too easy for individuals with only a matric certificate to enter local councils, provincial legislatures and parliament. While provincial legislatures and parliament have some representation of university-qualified individuals, local government seems to have been ignored for far too long.
While I remain a strong supporter of the principle of separation of powers, this principle becomes ineffective when those entrusted with political oversight lack the necessary academic qualifications, knowledge and experience required to monitor the professionalisation of the public service; and, in more serious cases, are expected to play an oversight role on government performance.
Do we really expect a councillor with only Grade 12 to monitor the key performance indicators of a highly experienced and professionally qualified chief financial officer who is also a chartered accountant? How can we expect local government to function optimally under these circumstances?
It is time we show some respect to experienced, properly qualified and knowledgeable professionals in the local government sphere, and this requirement must not only be limited to executive mayors, as the ANC has suggested.
Political parties must also ensure that they “deploy” their best men and women to the local government, ready to be appointed to any executive and oversight committee positions.
Although every citizen has a constitutional right to stand for public office, the crisis in local government will worsen for as long as inexperienced and academically unqualified councillors are entrusted with administrative and political oversight responsibilities and later elevated to the positions of executive mayors, council speakers, MMCs and chairpersons of oversight committees.
- Mogotsi is a member of Azapo and writes in his personal capacity.
- President Ramaphosa emphasized the importance of local government as the foundation of a capable state, yet it remains neglected and undervalued compared to provincial and national positions.
- Local government is often treated as a "dumping ground" for surplus politicians, weakening service delivery and governance at the municipal level.
- Current constitutional provisions allow individuals with minimal qualifications (e.g., only a matric certificate) to become public representatives, undermining effective oversight and professional governance.
- There is a need to professionalize local government by requiring higher qualifications and deploying experienced, knowledgeable individuals to key leadership and oversight roles.
- Without meaningful reforms and respect for qualifications within local government, the crisis in municipalities will worsen, negatively affecting essential services and citizens' daily experiences.
