Volume 2, Issue 2, June 2000

Co-operative Government in the Systems Bill

Section 3 of the Local Government: Municipal Systems Bill provides that (1) Municipalities must within the constitutional system of co-operative governance envisaged in section 41 of the Constitution seek to integrate the exercise of their legislative and executive authority with the policies, programmes, legislation and institutional arrangements of the national and provincial spheres of government.

Cross-Border Municipalities: A Cross to Bear?

Sixteen cross-border municipalities at district, metropolitan and local level, will be established come the municipal elections in November. This is a bold experiment which is not without its political and administrative difficulties.

Holding onto the Family Silver: Powers of MEC's in Respect of Certain Financial Matters.

Prior to the previous amalgamation process, some municipal councils engaged in measures designed to bind the succeeding councils into an array of long term agreements. Such measures included the entering into of long term employment contracts, granting of additional remuneration and allowances, leasing of council land and property for extended periods and other similar schemes that had an adverse effect on the finances of municipalities.

Municipal Elections: Where PR and Ward Representation Meet.

The new electoral system for local government represents a novel and intricate combination of party representation and ward representation. The system is outlined in the Municipal Structures Act 117 of 1998 (MSA) and in the forthcoming Local Government: Municipal Electorate Act.

Section 12 Notices: Preparing Municipal Constitutions.

The establishment of 285 new municipalities is to come into effect on the day the forthcoming elections are held. The six metropolitan municipalities, 47 district municipalities and the 232 local municipalities are to be established in terms of the section 12 notices.

The Windhoek Declaration: Africa's Vision on Decentralisation.

At the Africities 2000 summit, held in Windhoek on 15-20 May 2000, ministers of local government and of finance on the African continent, mayors, leaders and members of local government associations in Africa, researchers and eminent personalities from Africa and beyond adopted the Windhoek Declaration, which includes the followiing " African Vision on Decentralisation":