Municipal chaos down to grasping politicians

Based on the maxim that local government is the coalface of the state’s service delivery to citizens, it is evident that residents of many of our towns and cities are in for a rough ride as political parties and their leaders battle for control.

In councils from Johannesburg to Ekurhuleni, eThekwini and other smaller localities, the interests of citizens have taken a back seat as their elected representatives engage in a farcical contest aimed at nothing but divvying up positions and gaining power. Such power often holds the promise of access to the municipal purse strings.

The ensuing chaos, characterised by frequent changes of mayors and other council leadership, has diverted the attention of councillors from their core function. The voters, held hostage by inter-party politics and reduced to helpless spectators, have borne the brunt. This unseemly wrangling over positions could not have come at a worse time, when the capacity of most municipalities to provide basic services, such as water and electricity and the repair of infrastructure, is in question.

The failure of these local authorities not only affects individual residents, but acts as a disincentive for investment in the local economies, militating against economic development and the creation of much-needed jobs.

At the heart of the problem seems to lie the political immaturity of many of the leaders, who are prepared to go to the extent of plunging the councils into paralysis unless and until they get what they want.

In addition, the selection of the top leadership in many of the councils poorly rates the suitability of individuals for the roles they are given, either by qualification or experience.

In the wake of the chaos, and given that we are set to have more, not fewer coalition governments, some have called for rules to regulate such political arrangements.

The question is whether even such rules would fully cure the problem, if leaders themselves lack a sense of public service.