Ramaphosa admits corruption and patronage have eroded trust in municipalities ahead of elections
· Citizen
Ahead of Wednesday’s local government elections, President Cyril Ramaphosa has acknowledged that corruption, patronage and poor governance in municipalities have undermined public confidence in democratic institutions, while urging South Africans to use their votes to help rebuild struggling local governments.
Municipal failures
Writing in his weekly newsletter on Monday, just two days before voters head to the polls, Ramaphosa said municipal failures had played a significant role in weakening public trust in government and democracy.
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“Municipal failures have contributed to declining public trust and confidence in democratic governance,” he said, describing the election as “an opportunity to turn this around and to build local government as an instrument for development.”
The election is one of the largest democratic contests in South Africa’s history, with 546 political parties and nearly 137 000 candidates contesting seats across the country.
Ramaphosa said flaws in the local government system had allowed corruption and patronage to flourish, often at the expense of communities reliant on basic services.
“The shortcomings evident in the current design of our local government system have created space for corruption and patronage,” he said.
Collusion
He added that some officials had colluded with businesses to secure lucrative contracts, while residents were left without adequate services.
“We have seen corrupt local government officials scheme with businesspeople to obtain tenders for services that are sub-standard or not delivered at all.”
Power struggles
Ramaphosa also warned that power struggles and competition for resources within municipalities had fuelled instability and violence.
“Contestations over power and access to resources in local government have contributed to acts of violence, including disruptions of council meetings and the killings of ward candidates, councillors and municipal officials.”
The president said municipalities play a crucial role in citizens’ daily lives and are responsible for delivering essential services such as water, sanitation and electricity.
“The water, sanitation, electricity and other basic services that municipalities provide are important not only for communities; they are the foundations of a thriving economy.”
Elected leadership
He noted that businesses are more likely to invest in areas where infrastructure is maintained and services are reliable, affordable and efficiently managed.
Ramaphosa said the elected leadership of South Africa’s eight metros, 44 district municipalities and 205 local municipalities would take office as government embarks on what he described as a “bold reset” of the local government system.
“The candidates elected to lead the eight metros, 44 district municipalities and 205 local municipalities will assume office at a time when we are undertaking a bold reset of the entire local government system.”
White paper
He said the reforms in the recently launched White Paper on Local Government aim to strengthen accountability, improve financial management, and ensure municipalities are better equipped to deliver services and support economic growth.
Ramaphosa called on South Africans to ensure the elections are free from violence and intimidation, saying the South African Police Service (Saps) has spent the past few months conducting risk assessments, operational planning and simulation exercises. He said police are confident they are prepared to ensure voting day is peaceful and safe.