Faces of the City is a seminar series run jointly by CUBES, the South African Chair for Spatial Analysis and City Planning (SC&CP), the Gauteng City Region (GCRO) and the School of Architecture and Planning.

‘A Review of the White Paper on Local Government 2026 Discussion Document’, presented by Pascal Moloi, Tuesday, 05 August 2025,16.00 pm – 17.30 pm (CAT).

Abstract: The 1998 White Paper on Local Government (WPLG98) marked a crucial milestone in advancing democratic local governance in South Africa. Since its inception, considerable progress has been made in establishing a democratic local government system and expanding access to municipal services for millions of South Africans.

Despite the achievements of the past three decades with notable pockets of excellence, local government performance has regressed due to a variety of factors manifesting in administrative, governance, service delivery, infrastructure, financial, structural, and systemic challenges. Poor performance has become evident in key areas of leadership and management, including uncoordinated and ineffective national and provincial regulatory and oversight responsibilities. This regression has become a major constraint on attracting investment in many regions of the country, fostering economic growth, creating jobs, promoting human development and serving citizens. Reform of the local government system has been prioritised to ensure it does not continue to be a limiting factor to growth, development and prosperity.

“In many cities and towns across the country, roads are not maintained, water and electricity supply are often disrupted, refuse is not collected, and sewage runs in the streets. In part, this has happened because many municipalities lack the technical skills and resources required to meet people’s needs. Many municipalities have not reinvested the revenue they earn from these services into the upkeep of infrastructure. Starting this year, we will work with our municipalities to establish professionally managed, ring-fenced utilities for water and electricity services to ensure that there is adequate investment and maintenance. Many of the challenges in municipalities arise from the design of our local government system. We will therefore undertake extensive consultation to develop an updated White Paper on Local Government to outline a modern and fit-for-purpose local government system. We will review the funding model for municipalities, as many of them do not have a viable and sustainable revenue base. We will continue to work with traditional leaders in the implementation of local development programmes.” – President Cyril Ramaphosa, State of the Nation Address, 6 February 2025.

In September 2022, the Department of Cooperative Governance, in partnership with the Presidency, convened a Presidential Local Government Summit, where an official call was made to review the WPLG98. It was noted that local government system weaknesses and structural issues had persisted despite multiple previous attempts at reform, and there was a need to review the original concepts and assumptions made in 1998. The Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Velenkosini Hlabisa, formally introduced the WPLG98 Review at his budget vote in Parliament in July 2024.

Review process
This Discussion Document is a step in the process of reviewing the WPLG98, which in turn is part of a process of local government reform and restructuring over the short, medium, and long term. The intention is to publish a revised and updated Local Government White Paper in March 2026 (LGWP26), following an extensive and inclusive process of consultation based on the Discussion Document.

Speaker biography: Mr. Moloi is a governance, planning and development specialist and practitioner who has been involved with the governance and development in the public sector for more than 30 years. As a local government activist in the NGOs and later as City Manager of City of Johannesburg. Mr. Moloi played a key role in shaping governance and development frameworks nationally while leading and embedding change and transformation in Local Government. Mr. Moloi became MD of Resolve Group, a leading consulting firm that supported public and private sector organisations with organizational development and change management interventions. Later he continued to play leading roles nationally to shape policy, strategies and frameworks including as a Member of the National Planning Commission, Ministerial Advisory and Task Teams etc. He then became CEO of Housing Development Agency (HDA). He is currently a consultant at MPM Consulting Services, a Member of the Municipal Demarcations Board and the Convenor of the 1998 White Paper Review process

Online Event Details
Join Zoom Meeting
https://wits-za.zoom.us/j/95811018374?pwd=BYk5csVLs0WXdqNNbj7IRTGQG94nJ4.1
Meeting ID: 958 1101 8374
Passcode: 100206 

To join the mailing list for the Faces of the City Seminars by filling in this form here.