White Paper Review could slash SA’s 257 municipalities – Hlabisa

The review of the country’s White Paper on Local Government could result in a reduction of the country’s 257 municipalities, considering many are no longer economically viable.

Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) Minister, Velenkosini Hlabisa, said this was one of the proposals the Department was looking into as it reviews the white paper on local government of 1998.

Hlabisa was speaking at the launch of the Review of the White Paper on Local Government during a high-level meeting held at the Premier Hotel OR Tambo, Kempton Park, Ekurhuleni.

The launch represents a pivotal step in reimagining South Africa’s local government framework, underscored by the Minister’s rallying call: “Every Municipality Must Work.”

Calling for bold and innovative thinking at the launch of the review, Hlabisa posed critical questions about the current structure of local government.

“We currently have 257 municipalities. Some are financially unsustainable, lacking any revenue base—an outcome of