Identify and discus the external environment of local government operations
Table of Contents
Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 2
Constitutional environment .................................................................................................................... 2
Statutory environment ........................................................................................................................... 2
Political environment .............................................................................................................................. 3
Economic/industrial environment .......................................................................................................... 3
Financial environment ............................................................................................................................ 3
Demographic environment ..................................................................................................................... 4
Sociological environment........................................................................................................................ 4
References .............................................................................................................................................. 5
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Introduction
According to Van Wyk (1993:14), the total external environment of a local government
can be subdivided into, inter alia, constitutional, statutory, political,
economic/industrial, financial, demographic, sociological, technological and physical
environments. The mutual inclusiveness between the different external environments
of local government must be considered when planning comprehensive development
in the external environment of a local government.
Constitutional environment
According to Rowland (1985:B7), a constitution is the result of establishing a
representative government. It not only lays down rules for governing the inhabitants of
a country, but also provides the inhabitants with a lever for controlling the elected
representatives. The constitutional environment of South Africa is regulated by the
Constitution of the Republic of South Africa Act 108 of 1996. The unitary body politic
of South Africa, as set out in the Constitution, means that the provisions that apply to
the constitutional environment of South Africa also apply to the constitutional
environments of local governments. Local governments can also lay down subordinate
constitutional provisions for their particular areas of jurisdiction, without affecting the
constitutional provisions of the Republic of South Africa.
Statutory environment
Berlyn (1988:130) states that the statutory environment concerns the scope of
parameters in legislation. According to this, all social actions of the inhabitants are
controlled to their own benefit. The statutory environment of local government is
therefore that environment in which the local government promulgates by-laws to be
applied in the area of jurisdiction of the local government. These by-laws are subject
to parliamentary laws and provincial ordinances and provide, inter alia, parameters
according to which local social actions and other actions can be controlled to the
benefit of the inhabitants.
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