What is Local Government?

This video explains the role local government plays in providing services to the community, and how municipalities govern through the municipal council. This video is part of the Civics Academy Local Government Series. In these videos we explore how local government functions and how we, as responsive citizens, can engage it. Most videos in this series are available in English, Afrikaans and IsiXhosa. Check out our videos on www.civicsacademy.co.za
Local government is one of the three spheres of government with the provincial and the national spheres making up the other two. Local government in South Africa consists of municipalities, which deliver many of the services that people rely on in their daily lives.
Section 155 of the Constitution provides for three categories of municipalities. These are metropolitan, district and local municipalities. In South Africa there are 257 municipalities, comprising of 8 metropolitan, 44 district and 205 local municipalities.
The Constitution determines the powers and functions of local government in Schedules 4 and 5.
Municipalities have many functions that affect our lives daily. They mostly fulfil these services within the framework of the Constitution, National and Provincial legislation. Those functions are, amongst others:
Electricity
Water and sanitation services
Refuse removal
Roads
Parks and recreation
Community halls and public places
Cemeteries
We explain the basic services and services standards of municipalities in detail in the video “What can I expect from my municipality?”.
Although each sphere of government has its own exclusive competencies, all three spheres must cooperate, assist and support and coordinate their actions and legislation with one another.
For some functional areas they also share competencies and responsibilities. For example, national and provincial government share the responsibility for the police force and disaster management.
For other functional areas all three spheres of government share competencies and responsibilities, for example housing. Although housing is listed as part of the concurrent competencies of National and Provincial government, the implementation of housing, which includes for example the water and sanitation services for housing projects, is a local government function.
Each municipality has a council, which is elected during Local Government Elections every 5 years. The municipal council governs the Municipality.
The council is made up of elected members who adopt policies, make by-laws, raise income and spend funds and take decisions at council meetings on all matters that fall within its powers and functions.
The municipal administration carries out the work of the municipality. The municipal administration is headed by the Municipal Manager, who is responsible for employing skilled staff and coordinating the implementation of the Council’s programmes and projects.
In terms of the Constitution and other laws, the public has a right and an obligation to participate in municipal decision-making. This can be done through:
Ward committees,
Public participation meetings,
The submission of representations and proposals and
Direct contact with elected councillors