Guidelines for authors

The Local Government Bulletin invites submissions from both practitioners and academics on topics related to local government in South Africa and the region. Before submitting an article for publication, please read the guidelines below. By submitting an article, you will be deemed to acknowledge to understand these guidelines and agree to the terms of publication set out therein.

Nature of submissions

The Bulletin publishes a variety of submissions from policy briefs, case summaries, summaries of legislation, commentaries and opinion pieces. They all relate to the law, policy and financial arrangements affecting local government. The emphasis is on local government in South Africa but we also welcome articles on local government elsewhere on the African continent and on global issues directly affecting local government in Africa.

Original pieces

The Bulletin only publishes original articles. This means that we cannot consider articles or submissions which have already been published or are being considered for publication elsewhere.

Language style or use

The Bulletin has a diverse audience (civil society, government officials, the media, lawyers, councillors, students, academics etc.). Its main aim is to share information, updates and current analysis. It is not a platform for purely academic discourse.

In order to be considered for publication, articles must be written in accessible language. Please take note in particular of the following:

  • keep sentences short
  • ensure clarity in expression and avoid complicated language
  • don’t use technical jargon (legalese, Latin phrases, technical detail etc.)
  • don’t write lengthy introductions, get to the point as soon as possible
  • don’t use heavy-handed, dramatic language: aim to inform rather than to impress

Submissions should comply with following style related issues:

  • Font: Times New Roman or Arial 11
  • Spacing: 1,5
  • Quotes: double quotation marks
  • Headings: We encourage the use of headings but they should not go beyond heading 2.

References

The voice of the author should stand out. The use of references should be minimal. Where possible, articles must use hyperlinks instead of references. No bibliography or list of references is needed.

Word count

We welcome submissions between 1000 and 1500 words. Submissions longer than 1500 words maybe accepted for publication under exceptional circumstances.

Copyright

The copyright in all published articles is vested in the author. By submitting the article for publication, the author grants permission for Dullah Omar Institute (DOI) to freely publish the article, through its website and other platforms.

Podcast

By submitting the article for publication, the author grants permission for DOI to convert the article into a podcast which will be made available on its website.

Who decides?

The editorial board may accept, accept with revisions or reject any submission. The editors also reserve the right to unilaterally make small editorial changes that don’t affect the substantive content.

When are articles published?

Articles accepted for publication are published on the DOI’s website immediately. This means that the articles are published without delay and are freely accessible. At the end of every quarter, a minimum of four articles are combined to form an Issue, which is published as a newsletter and circulated through various networks and social media.

Costs

Articles are published at no costs to the author.