By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
President Cyril Ramaphosa concluded a two-day retreat with leaders in the Government of National Unity (GNU) at the Cradle of Humankind in Krugersdorp.
The closed-door meeting focused on the functioning of the coalition, its possible expansion and the 2026 budget.
The leaders were ordered to maintain secrecy, the urgency of municipal collapse appears to have dominated much of the meeting.
Fullview learnt that the closed-door discussions revolved around the critical state of local governance and next year’s elections.
Ramaphosa begged the GNU partners to set aside their differences and focus on the ground-level issues. He said, “Our people are suffering because municipalities are failing. We must make them work, and we must do it together”.
However, this plea for unity comes at a time when Ramaphosa’s position within his own party is under threat.
According to media reports, several ANC leaders indicated a growing sentiment that Ramaphosa was considering stepping down before the end of his five-year term in 2029.
South African municipalities form the third sphere of government after the provinces and national government. In accordance with the Constitution they must be democratic, accountable institutions that provide a range of basic services to local communities, such as water and electricity.
They are also key institutions for the promotion of social and economic development, given their direct link to local communities. Successful municipalities are essential for the country’s prosperity.
A number of characteristics are evident in dysfunctional municipalities. Firstly, there is very poor or no service delivery – in other words rubbish isn’t collected and basic services such as water supplies are patchy or non-existent. Another feature is that they suffer from serious financial problems such as low debt collection and huge overdue creditors’ payments. There is also always evidence of infrastructure, such as roads, deteriorating at a fast pace.
Communities in these areas often experience a range of problems that reflect this state of dysfunctionality. These include potholes; significant water losses due to infrastructure not being maintained; an increasing backlog in new infrastructure; financial mismanagement as well as fraud and corruption.
The Auditor-General’s latest consolidated report on local government outcomes it exposes, in stark numbers, just how deep the crisis of service delivery runs at municipal level.
Nelson Mandela University’s Prof. Bheki Mngomezulu told Newzroom Afrika that it is too little, too late for Ramaphosa’s meeting with leaders of the political parties.
“The coming months will be critical in determining whether Ramaphosa can regain the trust of his party and effectively leverage the GNU to address the nation’s pressing challenges,” he said.