20231120_statereformlocgovpolicybrief_osf-0b5adeacede9c8ab.pdf

This policy brief by the Public Affairs Research Institute (PARI) examines the political-administrative interface in South African local government, focusing on the need to professionalise public administration and insulate it from political patronage. It analyses recent legislative changes, such as the 2022 Municipal Systems Amendment Act, and proposes reforms to appointment processes for senior officials to ensure greater stability and democratic accountability.

• Tensions in the political-administrative interface in South Africa often manifest as inappropriate political interference in operational matters, particularly public procurement, and the use of appointment and dismissal processes to build patronage networks.
• The 2022 Municipal Systems Amendment Act prohibits all municipal employees from holding positions in political parties, requiring those who do to either resign from their employment or their political office within one year.
• The 2022 Municipal Systems Amendment Act mandates that 'Section 56 managers' (senior managers reporting to the municipal manager) be made permanent employees, moving away from contracts linked to political terms to increase management stability.
• Current appointment processes for municipal managers lack independent checks and balances, as selection committees are chaired by the mayor and include other councillors, leaving politicians with wide discretion.
• PARI proposes several options to reform senior appointments in local government, including extending the oversight of the Public Service Commission (PSC) to municipalities or involving independent professional associations in the selection process.
• The National Development Plan (2013) and the National Implementation Framework Towards the Professionalisation of the Public Sector (2022) both advocate for a 'single public service' and the introduction of checks and balances to insulate the administration from patronage.

APA

Public Affairs Research Institute (n.d.). 20231120_statereformlocgovpolicybrief_osf-0b5adeacede9c8ab.pdf. https://pari.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/20231120_StateReformLocGovPolicyBrief_OSF.pdf

Chicago

Public Affairs Research Institute. 20231120_statereformlocgovpolicybrief_osf-0b5adeacede9c8ab.pdf. n.d. https://pari.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/20231120_StateReformLocGovPolicyBrief_OSF.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Public Affairs Research Institute |title=20231120_statereformlocgovpolicybrief_osf-0b5adeacede9c8ab.pdf |url=https://pari.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/20231120_StateReformLocGovPolicyBrief_OSF.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{publicaffairsresearchinstitutend20231120statereformlocgovpolicybriefosf0b5adeacede9c8abpdf, author = {{Public Affairs Research Institute}}, title = {{20231120\_statereformlocgovpolicybrief\_osf-0b5adeacede9c8ab.pdf}}, institution = {Public Affairs Research Institute}, url = {https://pari.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/20231120_StateReformLocGovPolicyBrief_OSF.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }