Hlabisa convenes meeting to review White Paper on Local Government

Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) Minister, Velenkosini Hlabisa, says the review of the founding White Paper on Local Government of 1998 is an opportune chance to reimagine local government.

Hlabisa convened the inaugural meeting of the White Paper Review Political Steering Committee to review the founding White Paper on Local Government. The meeting took place in Cape Town on Tuesday.

The White Paper on Local Government is a foundational document that introduced developmental local government as a key element of the country’s democracy.

Published on 9 March 1998, it has played a vital role in establishing a democratic local government system that has significantly improved access to basic services for millions of South Africans.

“However, it is evident that local government has not sufficiently transformed to meet the challenges that emerged between 1998 and 2025. 

“Despite the advancements achieved, local government performance has deteriorated in recent years due