{"id":43549,"date":"2026-10-22T09:35:17","date_gmt":"2026-10-22T07:35:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/?p=43549"},"modified":"2026-10-22T09:35:18","modified_gmt":"2026-10-22T07:35:18","slug":"revised-white-paper-local-government","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/revised-white-paper-local-government\/","title":{"rendered":"President Cyril Ramaphosa To Unveil Revised White Paper On Local Government: What The Reforms Could Mean For Your Municipality"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">President Cyril Ramaphosa will unveil the revised White Paper on Local Government at the Birchwood Hotel and OR Tambo Conference Centre in Boksburg, Ekurhuleni, today, Thursday, 22 October 2026.<\/p><div id=\"gaute-728788163\" class=\"gaute-after-paragraph-1 gaute-entity-placement\" style=\"margin-top: 30px;margin-bottom: 30px;\"><div class=\"gaute-adlabel\">Advertisement<\/div><script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-1852772760112594\" crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block;\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-1852772760112594\" \ndata-ad-slot=\"1819787043\" \ndata-ad-format=\"auto\" data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\n<script> \n(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); \n<\/script>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The policy sets out how government plans to fix South Africa\u2019s struggling municipalities. It focuses on governance, financial management, accountability and service delivery. Government says it plans to start implementing it within the next three months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Before the launch, Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa will meet Cabinet members and key local government stakeholders to discuss the policy. The announcement comes less than two weeks before the local government elections on 4 November.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Is The White Paper On Local Government?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A White Paper is a government policy document that sets out the direction for a sector. The current local government system is based on the <strong>1998 White Paper on Local Government<\/strong>, which shaped how municipalities were set up after apartheid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">More than 25 years later, government says that system needs updating. The review started with a discussion document in April 2025. A draft revised White Paper was published for public comment in May 2026, and Cabinet has since approved the final version.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The launch theme is <strong>\u201cEvery Municipality Must Work: From Policy to Collective Action\u201d<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Will Be Launched Today?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to government, the launch will introduce:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>the revised White Paper on Local Government<\/strong>, approved by Cabinet<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>an Implementation Plan<\/strong> to turn the policy into action<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>a Transition Management Body<\/strong>, a temporary body to drive the move from policy to implementation<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>a Research Compendium<\/strong> with the research behind the review.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Leaders from all 257 municipalities are expected to attend, along with national and provincial government, Parliament, oversight bodies, organised local government, traditional and Khoi-San leaders, labour, business, civil society and academics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>ALSO READ:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/local-elections-4-november-2026\/\">Local Elections 4 November 2026: A Voter\u2019s Guide To Your Ward, Ballots, ID And Public Holiday Pay<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why Municipalities Need Fixing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The latest audit results show the scale of the problem. According to the Auditor-General\u2019s 2024\/25 local government report, released in June 2026:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>only <strong>39 of 257 municipalities (15%)<\/strong> got clean audits, down from 41<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>none of the eight metros<\/strong> received a clean audit<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>all three Gauteng metros, <strong>Johannesburg, Tshwane and Ekurhuleni, regressed<\/strong> in their audit outcomes<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>metros accounted for <strong>58% of irregular expenditure<\/strong> in 2024\/25<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>the City of Johannesburg was described as technically insolvent, owing Eskom R5,3 billion, with an infrastructure backlog of more than R200 billion.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Auditor-General Tsakani Maluleke said mayors and councils had \u201cmade limited progress\u201d over the past four years, and that \u201cthe audit outcomes and performance of the eight metros continue to decline\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hlabisa has said that unauthorised, irregular, fruitless and wasteful expenditure across municipalities totals <strong>R268,13 billion<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What The Revised White Paper Aims To Change<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The full final document will be released at today\u2019s launch. Based on the draft and on statements from government, the reforms are expected to focus on the following areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A Differentiated Approach<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Not all municipalities are the same. The policy recognises that metros, secondary cities, rural municipalities and small towns have very different capacities and needs. Instead of a one-size-fits-all system, it proposes support and rules suited to each type.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Fixing The District And Local Model<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In his address to the National Council of Provinces in May, Ramaphosa said the split between district and local municipalities has led to duplication, extra costs and overlapping functions. \u201cThe structures developed in the past may not serve us anymore,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Professional, Merit-Based Appointments<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hlabisa has been outspoken about hiring in municipalities. \u201cCadre deployment, the employment of friends, family members, your cronies\u201d has driven municipal failures, he told 702 earlier this month. Government plans to check senior municipal job adverts for compliance and make sure qualified people fill key posts. It has also discussed minimum qualifications for councillors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Accountability And Consequence Management<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The reforms aim to make roles and lines of accountability clear, and to make officials and politicians face consequences for corruption and poor performance. \u201cThe days of those with political ambition colluding with corrupt business people to loot municipalities are over,\u201d Ramaphosa said in May.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Financial Sustainability<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Government wants to overhaul municipal billing and revenue collection, tighten oversight of how money is spent, and look at how municipalities are funded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Citizen Participation And Traditional Leadership<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The draft also covered how communities take part in local government, intergovernmental coordination and the role of traditional leaders. Its 65 recommendations covered seven broad areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">When Will The Reforms Take Effect?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Government intends to implement the policy within the next three months. A 90-day transition plan will manage the sequencing and monitoring of the first reforms. Hlabisa has said the main rollout will follow the <strong>4 November local government elections<\/strong>, so the new councils will be the first to work under the reformed system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some changes may also need amendments to existing laws, which will take longer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What This Means For Gauteng Residents<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Gauteng\u2019s three metros manage huge budgets and serve millions of households. Residents deal every day with water outages, billing problems, potholes and power cuts linked to municipal debt. If the reforms are implemented properly, they could improve financial management, put qualified people in key jobs and make it easier to hold officials accountable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But policy alone won\u2019t fix municipalities. Implementation will be the real test, and the councils elected on 4 November will have a central role.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Frequently Asked Questions<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">When Is The White Paper On Local Government Being Launched?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thepresidency.gov.za\/president-ramaphosa-launch-revised-white-paper-local-government\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">President Ramaphosa<\/a> launches the revised White Paper on Local Government today, Thursday, 22 October 2026, at the Birchwood Hotel and OR Tambo Conference Centre in Boksburg, Ekurhuleni.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Is The Revised White Paper On Local Government?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It\u2019s a new policy framework that updates the 1998 White Paper on Local Government. It aims to improve how municipalities are governed, managed and held accountable, and how they deliver services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">When Will The White Paper Be Implemented?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Government plans to start implementing it within three months, through a 90-day transition plan. Most reforms will be rolled out after the 4 November local government elections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why Is The White Paper Being Reviewed Now?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The local government system has faced persistent problems, including poor audit outcomes, financial distress, corruption and weak service delivery. Only 15% of municipalities got clean audits in 2024\/25.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Will The White Paper Change How Municipal Officials Are Appointed?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Yes. Government has said the reforms will ensure suitably qualified people fill senior municipal posts, and that recruitment will be checked for compliance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>President Cyril Ramaphosa will unveil the revised White Paper on Local Government at the Birchwood Hotel and OR Tambo Conference Centre in Boksburg, Ekurhuleni, today, Thursday, 22 October 2026. The policy sets out how government plans to fix South Africa\u2019s struggling municipalities. It focuses on governance, financial management, accountability and service delivery. Government says it<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":43550,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rank_math_focus_keyword":"White Paper,White Paper on Local Government,Velenkosini Hlabisa,Local Government Elections 2026","rank_math_title":"","rank_math_description":"Ramaphosa unveils the revised White Paper on Local Government in Boksburg today. 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I believe in the power of storytelling, data-driven insights, and digital innovation to transform how information is shared and consumed. Through my work, I strive to make a meaningful impact - one article at a time."}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43549","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=43549"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43549\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":43551,"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43549\/revisions\/43551"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/43550"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=43549"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=43549"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=43549"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=43549"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}