Local governance expert Dr Harlan Cloete has highlighted the deepening crisis in Emfuleni Local Municipality, where residents face prolonged failures in basic services, including electricity outages lasting up to 10 years in some areas, while expressing frustration over unresponsive authorities and a breakdown in community trust.
In a discussion on the challenges affecting the municipality, Dr Cloete described the situation as heartbreaking. He noted accounts from community members living without reliable electricity for a decade, coupled with a perceived lack of government response to their pleas. This pattern of unresponsiveness, he said, has become unfortunately common in many South African local governments in recent years.
Dr Cloete explained the role of the Integrated Development Plan (IDP), a participatory process in which every municipality consults communities to identify needs, prioritise projects, and allocate budgets accordingly. Residents, he pointed out, have raised critical issues through this mechanism for years without meaningful action, leading to a severe erosion of trust between citizens and the sphere of government closest to them.
The expert emphasised that local government forms the heart and soul of service delivery in South Africa’s governance system. However, budget priorities often reveal gaps between stated intentions and actual implementation. For instance, some municipalities, including references to water provision in certain contexts, have favoured short-term measures like water tankers over long-term investments in infrastructure. While budgets and priorities are meant to emerge from community consultations, Dr Cloete observed a prevailing “compliance culture” in many instances — where attendance registers are signed and basic participation occurs, but genuine, qualitative engagement is lacking. This results in a social distance between local authorities and the people they serve, with decisions sometimes appearing to bypass real community input despite wall-to-wall municipal coverage across the country.
Recent reports have drawn attention to significant wasteful expenditure in Emfuleni. Over three financial years, R46 million was earmarked for cleaning graveyards, maintaining recreational parks, and related services, yet investigations indicate little to no visible impact on these facilities. Dr Cloete stressed that the issue extends beyond lost funds: neglected public spaces, such as overgrown graveyards, pose risks to community safety. Residents, including schoolchildren and workers, often traverse these areas, which can become havens for criminal activity when poorly maintained.
According to Dr Cloete, these failures contribute to a substantial trust deficit. Communities are increasingly losing confidence in local government, viewing it as indifferent or ineffective. He suggested that voter behaviour in upcoming elections could reflect this disillusionment, with citizens questioning the returns on their votes amid persistent poverty and lack of tangible dividends. Local government, he added, is where people most directly experience the state’s care — or its absence. The brand of local government in South Africa has unfortunately become associated with corruption and ineffectiveness.
Dr Cloete called for a fundamental reset, describing work in local government as one of the highest callings: creating an enabling environment that restores human dignity. He referenced Emfuleni’s historical significance — as the area where the South African Constitution was signed in Sharpeville — contrasting it with the reality that many residents are not yet experiencing the full promise of the 1994 democratic transition. Political parties, he noted, bear considerable responsibility for these shortfalls.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has previously described local government as the weakest link in the governance chain, citing Auditor-General reports and other indicators, and has spoken of reforms including professionalising the sector. Dr Cloete acknowledged that progress has been slow despite repeated initiatives, such as the “Back to Basics” programme under former leadership. Challenges persist in consequence management, recruitment, and selection processes. The 2021 Municipal Staff Regulations represent a positive step toward appointing competent personnel, but a culture of indifference in administrations remains a barrier.
Effective municipalities, Dr Cloete argued, require strong political oversight without interference, paired with a professional bureaucracy. Blurred lines between politicians and administrators often lead to problems, ultimately harming communities. Until ethical, accountable leadership and capable institutions are in place, these discussions are likely to continue.
With local government elections expected before the end of 2026, Dr Cloete anticipated heightened political dynamics. He predicted an increase in coalitions — potentially exceeding 100 — building on trends from 2016 (around 16) and 2021 (over 80). Local election outcomes often differ from national ones, and the current Government of National Unity (GNU) parties will need to balance their national cooperation with contestation at the local level. Smaller, issue-based parties may also gain traction by focusing on ground-level realities rather than directives from distant leadership centres.
Dr Cloete stressed the need for political maturity and pragmatism. He advocated for stability through collaborative governance that prioritises citizens’ needs as outlined in IDPs — including job opportunities, child safety, quality education, and responsive service delivery. A people-centred government, he concluded, is essential to address the ongoing crisis.
The conversation underscores broader concerns about accountability, infrastructure investment, and restoring public faith in local institutions amid Emfuleni’s persistent service delivery woes.