Hybrid Conference: National and provincial elections in May 2024: what are the implications for intergovernmental relations? [20 March 2024]

On 29 May 2024, South Africa will elect a new National Assembly, and new provincial legislatures for each of the nine provinces. The National Council of Provinces will also be reconstituted. By all accounts, the elections will be fiercely contested. Whatever the outcome, the resilience of the multilevel government system will be tested. Political differences between the three spheres of government could intensify. The elections will impact how national, provincial and local governments interact in intergovernmental relations. Healthy intergovernmental relations are critical, because when organs of state in different spheres of government work at cross-purposes, service delivery suffers. We will examine this in a hybrid Conference scheduled for 20 March at the University of the Western Cape. The Conference is organised by the National Research Chair in Multilevel Government, Law and Development at the Dullah Omar Institute. The Conference will address two questions, namely (1) how is the intergovernmental relations system put to the test when different parties or coalitions govern at different levels? and (2) how do we make sure that the intergovernmental relations system is resilient enough to absorb whatever political changes may occur? The Conference will be moderated by Prof Jaap de Visser.

Speakers include:

• Ms Thembisile Nkadimeng: Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs
• Prof Nico Steytler: Professor Emeritus, Dullah Omar Institute
• Ms Tessa Dooms: Director, Rivonia Circle
• Prof Tinashe Chigwata: Head of Multilevel Government, Dullah Omar Institute

Click HERE to register for in-person participation (Life Science Building, Seminar Room 1A & B, UWC)

Click HERE to register for virtual participation

Following registration, participants will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.