While the ANC has again made big promises to 'fix' local government, it seems impossible to imagine that anything will truly improve in the two years leading up to the municipal elections - mostly because of the party's inability to manage its members and leaders. As a result, the party may now be looking down the barrel of election results even worse than those of earlier this year.

Listen to this article 7 min Listen to this article 7 min It is surely agreed by almost everyone that one of the main reasons the quality of life has deteriorated for so many people in so many places is the failure of the local governments.

Whether it is hundreds and thousands of elderly people and mothers having to queue for water in township areas or the daily struggle to get to school and work through potholes, it is the failure of local government that is having the biggest impact on people's lives.

Much of this is financial. Numbers made public this week suggest that councils owe Eskom alone nearly R100-billion. Water boards are owed over R20-billion.

All of this despite the fact that people in these councils have been mostly paying for services - the councils did receive money for these services, and have not used the money properly. A very polite way of saying it was either wasted or in some cases, simply stolen.

For the ANC, the real problem is that there is a stark contrast between the councils it runs, and the councils run by other parties, and...