Auditor-General Kimi Makwetu's last report before he died identified a few municipalities whose accounts tell a 'good story of disciplined spending that achieves value for money'. Yet these cases are overshadowed by a general tale of regression, indicating that the model of post-apartheid local government has failed.
This November 25 and 26, I participated in a conference on 25 Years of Local Government. The topic sounds dry. However, there was nothing dry about it. The event was organised by the think-tank that I run, GAPP, and the South African Local Government Association (Salga). It brought together many of the people who 25 years ago helped design the current model of local government. (The conference videos can be seen here.)
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