South Africa Archives – Decentralization Net

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[ July 21, 2026 ] Sustainable development becomes real when it becomes local Europe & Central Asia
[ July 11, 2026 ] Is there an economic payoff from creating new local governments? Evidence from Brazil Brazil
[ July 8, 2026 ] Property tax in Europe: a changing landscape Decentralization
[ July 6, 2026 ] Realizing the Jobs Potential of MENA’s Cities Cities and urban development
[ July 2, 2026 ] A new frontier for development cooperation: From localizing development to leveraging multilevel governance Community

An inflection point in South Africa’s local government reform?

March 3, 2026 LPS Alliance

South Africa’s system of local government is at a critical juncture. Nearly three decades after the advent of democratic local governance, the country has built a comprehensive municipal system and expanded access to basic services. […]

Western Cape Province publishes a comprehensive municipal budget performance review

February 28, 2025 LPS Alliance

Municipalities in South Africa–like those around the world–have faced challenges and opportunities in achieving financial sustainability, efficient service delivery, and responsive governance in recent years. As part of its efforts to ensure an efficient and […]

South Africa’s Architecture of Government

June 19, 2022 LPS Alliance

South Africa’s current intergovernmental architecture was an important element of the country’s successful post-apartheid transition. A broadly unitary state, South Africa nonetheless adopted some of the framework and language of a federal system. The Constitution […]

South African court orders national government to intervene in municipal financial crisis

October 2, 2021 LPS Alliance

Failed service delivery at municipal level is not a new phenomenon, even in countries–such as South Africa–that have a relatively well-functioning local governance system. Local elections are an important–but often imperfect mechanism for ensuring effective […]