Containing the Human “Tree” in South Africa—What is the Perfect Size?

Abstract

On the 19th of May 2022, the South African Minister of Finance, Mr. Enoch Godongwana acknowledged that 88 of the 256 municipalities in South Africa were dysfunctional and consequently their local economies were struggling. In light of this, these municipalities were to be “taken over” and managed by National treasury and not the local municipality. One could state that effective governance is dependent on the efficient structure and composition of the municipalities as much as the administration of the region. In light of these sentiments, the paper interrogates the manner in which municipalities are formed, demarcated and establishment in South Africa in order to determine if the area delimited are manageable. The paper analyses the 88 municipalities listed as dysfunctional in terms of their 2016 delimited areas and their related population. It found that at least 81% of the 88 municipalities had a population density below 100 people/km2. It further found that the sparse development and low population density of these municipal areas hindered meaningful economic investments and social development. Consequently, the paper suggests that smaller municipalities might provide a solution to creating more functionally efficient municipalities with stronger economies. The paper provides insights around challenges associated with delimitation and how they could be ameliorated in South Africa.