Coalition building and municipal governance in South Africa: Implications for municipal leadership and service delivery

Abstract

South Africa became a democratic state on 27 April 1994. Since then, local government has been through critical political and socio-economic restructuring and transformation, which has changed the public governance landscape at all levels. Despite ushering in world-class legislation at the local sphere of government in South Africa – very futuristic by continental and international standards – there have been major challenges in local governance, the most notable being the lack of effectual and responsive basic service-delivery. The government, for its part, has introduced several intervention strategies over the years to ensure that the local sphere of government in South Africa is on an upward developmental trajectory. The government is also of the view that the goals of a democratic society and a growing and developing economy can only be achieved through a responsive, accountable, effective and efficient local government system, which implies that if the local government fails, South Africa as a nation will fail.