BRIEFING NO 26 ● JUNE 2010
BRIEFING
G NR 2 APRIL 2008
The Role of Political Parties at the
Local Government Level
A Reflection on South Africa at the time of the
Policy Process of Review on Decentralisation
Lara Natalini
The ongoing review of decentralisation in South Africa will definitely affect political parties’
legitimisation mechanisms at the local level. For this reason, one may expect the same actors,
together with civil society organisations (CSOs), to be actively involved in the policy process
of review. Their apparent low involvement in this process is taken as this policy brief’s starting
point, which is aimed at focusing on the role of political parties in local governments.1 The
article also uses references in the case of Ghana to highlight the main challenges for local
governments in South Africa, and suggests critical perspectives for further studies.
Introduction representation and participation in such a relevant
process.
At the time of writing this policy brief, South Every day the ANC legitimisation is indeed be-
Africa is undergoing a reshaping of the political ing played at the local level. Decentralisation is ul-
arena, which seems a necessary and healthy proc- timately for the government not only the channel
ess considering the African National Congress to address inequalities and redistribute resources,
(ANC) legitimisation crisis. 2 but also the main instrument to show its capacity
The process of consultation on the reform of conveying the voices of all South Africans and
of decentralisation is a chance for all citizens to answer their different needs.
participate in the shaping of the level of govern- Another interesting aspect to be noted is that
ment that most influences their everyday life. It is South Africa is the only case in Africa where op-
a crucial moment for local politics and governance position parties happen to control some of the
to act and show its effectiveness, in particular for local governments. This aspect of the process em-
opposition parties to play their role of fostering bodies undeniable opportunities and challenges
At the time of writing, Lara Natalini was a Research Fellow at the Africa Institute of South Africa.
© Africa Institute of South Africa AISA POLICYbrief Number 26 – June 2010 1
, for representation and participation at the local presence of ‘overlapping identities.’ 7 One of the
level, especially for marginal groups. However, it main related problems is the often troubled inter-
is a popular opinion that opposition political par- action between traditional leaders and local gov-
ties’ representatives at the local level do not have ernments in rural areas, which affects the imple-
any contact with the electorate, and are not con- mentation of development projects. For example,
cerned about and involved in what goes on at the the chiefs are the only authority who can talk to
grassroots. the grassroots and mobilise them, or there is often
On the basis of such considerations, and in the need for the chief’s authorisation to utilise a
order to highlight the challenges that the process particular land. 8 Moreover, as far as South Africa
of decentralisation is facing in the country, it is is concerned, government has to acknowledge
useful to consider also another African decentrali- the strengths of churches and witchcraft, which
sation model, that of Ghana, which significantly strongly affect people’s everyday life.9
differs from South Africa in one of the core char- Ayee (1999, 131) points out the relevance of par-
acteristics outlined. As a matter of fact, local elec- allel structures of power put in place by Ghanaian
tions in Ghana are held on a non-partisan basis. governments to work on the ground with District
The case of Ghana will be used here to reflect on Assemblies. The author refers to Rawlings’ revo-
the meaning of having or not having a partisan lo- lutionary committees, which populated the local
cal arena, and the way it can affect representation arena in the 1980s to create consent around and
and participation, the level of local governments’ involvement in the new revolutionary rule.
autonomy from the centre, and service delivery On the contrary, what happens in South Africa
performances.3 is that there has always been a high level of grass-
roots’ politicisation because of the ANC mobilisa-
tion activities spread out during the last century,
Background and because of the liberation struggle legacy.10
‘Democratic decentralisation’ is defined as a The ‘developmental role’ of local governments
process which involves the transfer of powers to In both countries, local governments have been
democratically elected local authorities with fis- given a ‘developmental role.’11 Local governments
cal autonomy. ‘Fiscal decentralisation’ refers to are indeed thought to be able to convey the voices
the transfer of financial resources and powers to of the grassroots and answer their needs.
raise levies from the centre to local governments, However, in Ghana, the bottom-up planning
together with the recognition of autonomy on lo- process, supposed to begin at the Unit Committee
cal governments’ budget decisions. However, the level, has never really worked.12 Since they are not
impact of ‘deconcentration,’ which entails the paid, Unit Committees are not even always elected
transfer of workload from the central government and in place. What happens is that, since Unit
head offices to regional branches having limited Committees cannot convey people’s voices, District
discretion, will also be considered.4 Assemblies end up working on a poverty reduction
Moreover, by ‘democratic local governance’ one agenda, which is drafted by the government in
refers to a local system where representative ac- the country’s Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers
tors interact within the broader framework of the (PRSPs).13 Ultimately, the paradox is that District
country’s political system to manage the public Assemblies are asked to work on an agenda which
affairs of a local community being accountable is that of the government, not the one of the
to it.5 people.
However, that of the decentralised state, as the Similarly, in South Africa, the relatively par-
model of the state itself, is not an indigenous one. ticipative municipalities’ Integrated Development
For this reason there is need for a synthesis with Plans (IDPs) are not, as one would expect, in-
the existing local governance dynamics that were forming the district and metropolitan IDPs of
already working on the ground before the intro- the grassroots’ priorities. On the contrary, they
duction of the decentralised state.6 are ultimately supposed to articulate the mecha-
nisms and instruments to implement national
policies.14 Moreover, it is interesting to note that,
Representation and Participation together with a shift from the Reconstruction and
Development Programme (RDP) to the Growth,
The pre-existence of a local governance system Employment and Redistribution Programme
In both Ghana and South Africa, when observing (GEAR) at the national level, municipalities’ per-
local governance dynamics, one will discover the ception of their economic development role seems
2 AISA POLICYbrief Number 26 – June 2010 © Africa Institute of South Africa
BRIEFING
G NR 2 APRIL 2008
The Role of Political Parties at the
Local Government Level
A Reflection on South Africa at the time of the
Policy Process of Review on Decentralisation
Lara Natalini
The ongoing review of decentralisation in South Africa will definitely affect political parties’
legitimisation mechanisms at the local level. For this reason, one may expect the same actors,
together with civil society organisations (CSOs), to be actively involved in the policy process
of review. Their apparent low involvement in this process is taken as this policy brief’s starting
point, which is aimed at focusing on the role of political parties in local governments.1 The
article also uses references in the case of Ghana to highlight the main challenges for local
governments in South Africa, and suggests critical perspectives for further studies.
Introduction representation and participation in such a relevant
process.
At the time of writing this policy brief, South Every day the ANC legitimisation is indeed be-
Africa is undergoing a reshaping of the political ing played at the local level. Decentralisation is ul-
arena, which seems a necessary and healthy proc- timately for the government not only the channel
ess considering the African National Congress to address inequalities and redistribute resources,
(ANC) legitimisation crisis. 2 but also the main instrument to show its capacity
The process of consultation on the reform of conveying the voices of all South Africans and
of decentralisation is a chance for all citizens to answer their different needs.
participate in the shaping of the level of govern- Another interesting aspect to be noted is that
ment that most influences their everyday life. It is South Africa is the only case in Africa where op-
a crucial moment for local politics and governance position parties happen to control some of the
to act and show its effectiveness, in particular for local governments. This aspect of the process em-
opposition parties to play their role of fostering bodies undeniable opportunities and challenges
At the time of writing, Lara Natalini was a Research Fellow at the Africa Institute of South Africa.
© Africa Institute of South Africa AISA POLICYbrief Number 26 – June 2010 1
, for representation and participation at the local presence of ‘overlapping identities.’ 7 One of the
level, especially for marginal groups. However, it main related problems is the often troubled inter-
is a popular opinion that opposition political par- action between traditional leaders and local gov-
ties’ representatives at the local level do not have ernments in rural areas, which affects the imple-
any contact with the electorate, and are not con- mentation of development projects. For example,
cerned about and involved in what goes on at the the chiefs are the only authority who can talk to
grassroots. the grassroots and mobilise them, or there is often
On the basis of such considerations, and in the need for the chief’s authorisation to utilise a
order to highlight the challenges that the process particular land. 8 Moreover, as far as South Africa
of decentralisation is facing in the country, it is is concerned, government has to acknowledge
useful to consider also another African decentrali- the strengths of churches and witchcraft, which
sation model, that of Ghana, which significantly strongly affect people’s everyday life.9
differs from South Africa in one of the core char- Ayee (1999, 131) points out the relevance of par-
acteristics outlined. As a matter of fact, local elec- allel structures of power put in place by Ghanaian
tions in Ghana are held on a non-partisan basis. governments to work on the ground with District
The case of Ghana will be used here to reflect on Assemblies. The author refers to Rawlings’ revo-
the meaning of having or not having a partisan lo- lutionary committees, which populated the local
cal arena, and the way it can affect representation arena in the 1980s to create consent around and
and participation, the level of local governments’ involvement in the new revolutionary rule.
autonomy from the centre, and service delivery On the contrary, what happens in South Africa
performances.3 is that there has always been a high level of grass-
roots’ politicisation because of the ANC mobilisa-
tion activities spread out during the last century,
Background and because of the liberation struggle legacy.10
‘Democratic decentralisation’ is defined as a The ‘developmental role’ of local governments
process which involves the transfer of powers to In both countries, local governments have been
democratically elected local authorities with fis- given a ‘developmental role.’11 Local governments
cal autonomy. ‘Fiscal decentralisation’ refers to are indeed thought to be able to convey the voices
the transfer of financial resources and powers to of the grassroots and answer their needs.
raise levies from the centre to local governments, However, in Ghana, the bottom-up planning
together with the recognition of autonomy on lo- process, supposed to begin at the Unit Committee
cal governments’ budget decisions. However, the level, has never really worked.12 Since they are not
impact of ‘deconcentration,’ which entails the paid, Unit Committees are not even always elected
transfer of workload from the central government and in place. What happens is that, since Unit
head offices to regional branches having limited Committees cannot convey people’s voices, District
discretion, will also be considered.4 Assemblies end up working on a poverty reduction
Moreover, by ‘democratic local governance’ one agenda, which is drafted by the government in
refers to a local system where representative ac- the country’s Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers
tors interact within the broader framework of the (PRSPs).13 Ultimately, the paradox is that District
country’s political system to manage the public Assemblies are asked to work on an agenda which
affairs of a local community being accountable is that of the government, not the one of the
to it.5 people.
However, that of the decentralised state, as the Similarly, in South Africa, the relatively par-
model of the state itself, is not an indigenous one. ticipative municipalities’ Integrated Development
For this reason there is need for a synthesis with Plans (IDPs) are not, as one would expect, in-
the existing local governance dynamics that were forming the district and metropolitan IDPs of
already working on the ground before the intro- the grassroots’ priorities. On the contrary, they
duction of the decentralised state.6 are ultimately supposed to articulate the mecha-
nisms and instruments to implement national
policies.14 Moreover, it is interesting to note that,
Representation and Participation together with a shift from the Reconstruction and
Development Programme (RDP) to the Growth,
The pre-existence of a local governance system Employment and Redistribution Programme
In both Ghana and South Africa, when observing (GEAR) at the national level, municipalities’ per-
local governance dynamics, one will discover the ception of their economic development role seems
2 AISA POLICYbrief Number 26 – June 2010 © Africa Institute of South Africa
