CONTENTS

Introduction
Responsibilities of municipal councils
Delegation of powers and duties
Community participation and accountability
Municipal types
Systems of municipal government
Plenary executive system
Collective executive system
Mayoral executive system
Executive powers, duties and committees
The ward participatory system
The subcouncil participatory system
Combining the systems of government to form municipal types
Applying types to individual municipalities
Conclusion
Annexure A: Process for electing an executive mayor, deputy executive mayor, mayor, deputy-mayor, or Speaker
Annexure B: Appointing "additional" councillors to serve on subcouncils

About this document

This document provides details on the different systems of municipal government provided for by the Municipal Structures Act (1998) and how these can be combined to form different types of municipality, in the interests of strong, effective and accountable local government.

The document describes the broad range of responsibilities that developmental municipal councils have. It looks at the need to delegate powers and duties to council committees, individual councillors and officials. It also looks at the need for systems of municipal government - to define the different ways in which municipal councils can be organised to perform their powers and duties effectively, democratically and accountably.

IMPORTANT NOTICE TO READERS

On 15 October 1999 the Constitutional Court found sections 4, 5, 6(2) and 24(1) of the Municipal Structures Act, 1998 to be unconstitutional.

This judgement was delivered after preparation of the booklets in this publication series, and affects some of the content of the booklets.

When reading about the designation of categories A, B or C municipalities; district management areas; guidelines for deciding the type of municipality that is to be established in a province; and the term of office of a municipality, please note that the court's decision means that:

  • The Municipal Demarcation Board and not the Minister of Provincial and Local Government must decide which areas must have category A municipalities and which must have municipalities of both categories B and C.
  • The Municipal Demarcation Board and not the minister must decide which areas must have a district management area.
  • It will no longer be possible for the minister to determine guidelines to assist MECs for local government to decide which type of municipality will be appropriate for a particular area.
  • The terms of municipal councils will be determined by Parliament and not by the minister.