The 2011 local government elections: considering policy and legislative responses to local government challenges

Abstract

Within the context of the 2011 local government elections (hereafter the 2011 elections), this article explores the correlation between the main issues raised by political parties as local government challenges and Government’s understanding and response to these challenges in terms of policy and legislation. This is also contextualised within the different ideological understandings of democracy by the main political parties. The argument in this article is on the nature of these policy and legislative amendments, their development, connections with the Local Government Turnaround Strategy (LGTAS), the State of Local Government in South Africa Report as well as the interpretation of local government challenges by the major political parties during the 2011 elections. After considering the local government legislative context, the 2011 election manifestos of the ANC and the DA, policy assessments by Government as well as recent legislative amendments, the article concludes that a clear understanding of local government challenges does exist, and that a more activist approach is evidenced by amending legislation; however the focus should rather be placed on the day-to-day governance of local government