Making ward committees function

Ward
Committee
Resource Book
Best practices &
lessons learnt
for municipal officials,
councillors &
local governance practitioners

Department:
Provincial and Local Government
REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA
Your partner in service delivery and development
ii Making Ward Committees Function
Resource Book: Best Practices & Lessons Learnt

Prepared by Idasa and Afesis-corplan

the dplg and GTZ South Africa
December 2005
Contact
Xoliswa Sibeko, Executive Manager: Public Participation and
Empowerment ([email protected]; 012 334 0600) Ben Cele,
Senior Manager: Public Participation and Empowerment (benc@dplg.
gov.za; 012 334 0600)
Hajo Junge, GTZ Advisor: Local Governance ([email protected];
012 423 5900)

Acknowledgements
This Ward Committee Resource Book is part of a larger effort of the Department of Provincial and Local
Government (dplg) and the German Agency for Technical Co-operation (GTZ) which aims to enhance participatory
democracy and governance in South African municipalities.
The authors acknowledge with thanks all individuals and organisations that contributed to the development of
this resource book. This includes specialists and practicioners in the field of local government consulted during
the research process, NGOs, service providers, and research agencies. We are also grateful to all the municipalities
across the country who participated in a national survey on ward committees between October and December
2004. Their feedback provided invaluable material for this resource book. A special thanks to the staff, councillors
and ward committee members of the following municipalities for making the time for focus group interviews at
a crucial stage of this project: Mogale City, Buffalo City, Matjhabeng, Mangaung, Emalahleni (Northern Cape &
Eastern Cape Provinces), Msunduzi and Greater Tzaneen local municipalities and Ugu district municipality. Special
thanks also goes to Idasa and Afesis-corplan for the preparation of the resource book. Both organisations have
provided invaluable civil society knowledge and expertise in the field of public participation and the work of ward
committees. We would also like to thank GTZ’s Strengthening Local Governance Programme for making this project
possible.
© dplg and GTZ
 Making Ward Committees Function
Resource Book: Best Practices & Lessons Learnt

Mr F.S. Mufamadi
Minister for Provincial and Local Government

Foreword
When we introduced the new system of local government in 2000, we correctly positioned this as the sphere of
government that is best placed to give practical meaning and substance to the basic political commitment, that
the People Shall Govern. We said to our people, through local government, together with you, we shall bring
democracy to where you live. In our conceptualization of local government, we placed it at the cutting edge of
addressing such basic national challenges as underdevelopment, unemployment, stagnation and poverty.
The newly created sub-municipal Ward Committees play a critical role in achieving the above. Being a
representative structure of the community and citizens, they need to inform the municipality about the
aspirations, potentials and problems of the people. They should also form a bridge by facilitating proper
communication between council and citizens they represent. Local government legislation provides for the
establishment of ward committees that will serve as a cord which articulates our system of government
to the mass base. Ward committees have an important role to play in actively taking part and determining
core municipal process, such as the Integrated Development Planning, municipal budgeting and municipal
performance management processes. Without them, our system of democratic government and developmental
local government cannot be said to be rooted among the people.
Ward committees have been established in more than 80% of the wards. These ward committees are of varying
functional strengths. By paying attention to the functional status of these ward committees as well as to the task
of establishing the balance of the remaining committees, we shall be extending the benefits of citizenship to
greater numbers of our people.
This Resource Book aims to provide very practical guidance on how to establish and, specifically how to make
the ward committee system functional.
The Ministry and the Department of Provincial and Local Government would like to acknowledge the support of
the German Agency for Technical Cooperation (GTZ) in making this practical resource book possible.
2 Making Ward Committees Function
Resource Book: Best Practices & Lessons Learnt

Abbreviations
ANC African National Congress
CBO Community-Based Organisation
CBP Community-Based Planning
CSO Civil Society Organisation
CDW Community Development Worker
DA Democratic Alliance
dplg Department of Provincial and Local Government
GGLN Good Governance Learning Network South Africa
GTZ German Agency for Technical Co-operation
IDP Integrated Development Planning
Idasa Institute for Democracy in Southern Africa
KPA Key Performance Area
KPI Key Performance Indicator
LED Local Economic Development
LGTA Local Government Transition Act
MEC Member of the Executive (of a Province)
MFMA Local Government: Municipal Finance Management Act
MSA 1998 Local Government: Municipal Structures Act 1998
MSA 2000 Local Government: Municipal Systems Act 2000
NGO Non-Governmental Organisation
NT National Treasury
PMS Performance Management System
PR Proportional Representation
SALGA South African Local Government Association
ToT Training of Trainers
WC Ward Committee

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 Making Ward Committees Function
Resource Book: Best Practices & Lessons Learnt

Contents

Chapter 1
Introduction ............................................................................................................................................... 5
Section 1: Why the need for a Ward Committee Resource Book .......................................................... 6

Chapter 2
Public Participation in Local Governance................................................................................................ 9
Section 1: International Context of Public Participation in Local Governance ..................................... 10
Section 2: Ward Participatory System................................................................................................ 20

Chapter 3
Establishment of Ward Committees ......................................................................................................21
Section 1: Experiences after the 2000 Local Government Elections ................................................... 22
Section 2: Ward Committee Membership and Composition............................................................... 25

Chapter 4
Roles and Responsibilities of Ward Committees ..................................................................................35
Section 1: The Functions, Roles and Responsibilities of Ward Committees.......................................... 36
Section 2: Managing Municipal Performance: the Role of Ward Committees ..................................... 40

Chapter 5
Ward Committee and Council Decision-Making....................................................................................45
Section 1: Communication between Community, Ward Committee and Council ................................ 46

Chapter 6
Ward Committees and the Core Business of the Municipality.............................................................55
Section 1: Integrated Development Planning (IDP)............................................................................ 56
Section 2: Community-based Planning ............................................................................................. 58
Section 3: The Municipal Budgeting Process ..................................................................................... 59
Section 4: The Performance Management/Service Delivery Process.................................................... 59
4 Making Ward Committees Function
Resource Book: Best Practices & Lessons Learnt

Chapter 7
7HUPRI2IÀFH7HUPLQDWLRQRI0HPEHUVKLSDQG'LVVROXWLRQRI:DUG&RPPLWWHHV ...........................63
Section 1: Term of Office for Ward Committee Members ................................................................... 64
Section 2: Termination of Membership by a Ward Committee Member and Filling of Vacancies.......... 64
Section 3: Conditions for the Dissolution of Ward Committees.......................................................... 65

Chapter 8
Training and capacity-building for ward committees ............................................................................67
Checklist of key documents ................................................................................................................... 74
Glossary...................................................................................................................................................75

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Introduction

Chapter 1
6 Making Ward Committees Function
Resource Book: Best Practices & Lessons Learnt

Section 1: Why the need for a Ward Committee

Resource Book?
“We must engage one another in a similar
manner on a whole range of important specific
issues such as improving service delivery and
strengthening local government, including the
Ward Committees. These Committees, whose
members are ordinary workers, play a critical role
in ensuring the necessary contact between the
people and our institutions of government.”1

“Of particular importance in this regard will

be the need for us to ensure that the local
government Ward Committees meet regularly and
function as they were intended.”2

South Africa’s new system of developmental local government is part of the country’s law and policy. This new
vision is called the ‘Ward Participatory System’ and is a very important part of the new system.
Although there have been achievements in setting up ward committees in the country, municipalities still face
major challenges in making ward committees effective. These challenges include factors such as:
• some members of ward committees not having experience in participating in committee meetings and
not being accustomed to committee procedures
• this is the first time some ward committee members have had to work with budgets and financial
statements
• as ward committees have only been set up since 1999, ward committee members have had to learn
what the role, functions and responsibilities of ward committees are
• ward committee members have not been in a situation before where they have had to report back to
their communities
• this is the first time that communities are being asked to give their comments and suggestions in
matters that affect them.
Even though there are some success stories regarding the establishment of ward committee structures, research
shows that ward committees need support to:
• firstly, ‘get off the ground’,
• secondly, find a useful role as the bridge between citizens and municipality.

1
President Thabo Mbeki, Address at the opening of the 3rd COSATU Central Committee Meeting, Ekurhuleni, 15 August
2005.
2
President Thabo Mbeki, Address on the occasion of the Budget Vote of the Presidency, National Assembly, Cape Town, 23
June 2004.
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Introduction
7

The experience of ward committees across the country is not identical. Most ward committees only

Chapter 1
managed some form of operational effectiveness that is working effectively, halfway through the term
of councils elected for the period 2000-2005. Since 2001 there have been many interventions and
programmes aimed at establishing ward committees and building their capacity to function more
effectively.

This book aims to build upon those efforts

by providing practical guidance on how to
establish and, more especially how to make the
ward committee system functional so that ward
committees are efficient and effective.

This book is developed as a guide for:

• municipal councillors and officials who are responsible for public participation and
setting up the ward committee system.
• local government practitioners involved in strengthening the ward committee system.
• to a certain extent, ward committee members themselves.3
The book was developed after interaction, discussion and consultation with municipalities and ward
committees in the period 2000-2005. The book also considered and used training and capacity-
building programmes, studies and research. The book is designed to be an easy reference but never a
simple ‘how to’ guide!
In line with the lessons of many years of training in the area of public and civil society, the aim of
the book is to provoke critical thought amongst its users rather than merely setting out a list of
instructions.

3
A Ward Committee Handbook has also been developed for ward committee members and ward
councillors. This handbook provides very handy hints and good practical ideas for running ward
committees.
8 Making Ward Committees Function
Resource Book: Best Practices & Lessons Learnt

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Public Participation in
Local Governance

Chapter 2
10 Making Ward Committees Function
Resource Book: Best Practices & Lessons Learnt

Section 1: International Context of Public Participation

in Local Governance
Because local government is regarded as the level of
government ‘closest to the people’, the core of all the
legislation that has been put in place is to find ways
that ensure that citizens give input to the decisions that
local councils make. The purpose of all the pieces of
legislation is to make sure that citizens participate fully
in the decisions that affect them at local level.

International experience has shown that citizen and community participation is an essential part of effective and
accountable governance at local level. A great deal has been written about the legal and policy arrangements for
citizens’ participation in different countries around the world.
International experience has shown that one way of achieving successful and lasting models to ensure that citizen
participation takes place is through establishing structured and institutionalised frameworks for
participatory local governance.
Structured and institutionalised models of participation generally work when citizens see them as legitimate and
credible, where there is a political commitment to their implementation and they have legal status.
Structured and institutional models of participation will not work when:
• they try to co-opt independent and legitimate voices within civil society
• there is no definite political commitment to the model
• the system exists in principle (that is, it sounds good on paper) but when it comes to carrying it out,
the necessary resources are not available.
In discussion about South African local government, we see
workable principles for participation in the calls for:
• bringing citizens more effectively on board when it comes
to local governance and development
• making government more responsive to the people’s needs
and aspirations
• empowering citizens to fulfil their potential as partners with
government
• deepening democracy beyond the representative dimension
into a more participatory system.

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Public Participation in Local Governance
11

The Constitution of South Africa (1996) and key legislation such as Chapter 4 of the Local

Chapter 2
Government: Municipal Systems Act (2000) and Chapter 4 of the Local Government: Municipal
Structures Act (1998) provide a powerful legal framework for participatory local democracy and ward
committees in particular. Ward committees were included in the legislation as a way of providing
an opportunity for communities to be heard at the local government level in a structured and
institutionalised way. Ward committees are the structure that makes it possible to narrow the gap
between local municipalities and communities, since ward committees have the knowledge and
understanding of the citizens and communities they represent.

In 2004 a survey by the Australia-South Africa Local Governance

Partnership suggested a few simple pre-conditions for the ward
committee system to be successful4. These include the need:
• for the process of participation to be meaningful and to be seen as meaningful
• for both parties – the municipality and the public – to listen to each other rather
than just talk to each other
• to make it clear at the outset who makes the final decision, for example, if the
views of the community are different to that of Council, whose view will prevail?
• for resources to support the process – in all examples of good practice, public
participation is funded. In some cases public participation is the object of a
special programme, such as the renowned participatory budgeting process in
Porto Alegre, Brazil, which involves thousands of community members each year
supported by a team of municipal employees dedicated to facilitating the process
• to ensure that information relevant to the participative process is conveyed in a
manner that is relevant and understandable to the communities involved, which
may require the use of local languages
• to understand the distinction between:
• providing information
• consultation
• participation
and being clear which is being used in particular circumstances
• to provide feedback on the participation process and the final decision that
emerges
• to include officially elected councilors in the participatory process
• to ensure that policies exist that guide municipal staff in the manner and the
reasons for participation
• to recognise that meetings are only one form of participation and unless properly
managed, can bias input in favour of those that are vocal and/or articulate.

4
Findings based on research conducted by Australia-South Africa Local Governance Partnership, March 2004.
12 Making Ward Committees Function
Resource Book: Best Practices & Lessons Learnt

Many people may say that South Africa’s ward committee system already meets most of these conditions,
since funding is set aside for ward committees, municipalities are sensitised to the need for appropriate local
communication strategy, and there are extensive guidelines and laws to guide both elected councillors and staff in
participatory processes.
Although all these conditions are in place, what is more important is the extent to which these conditions are met,
that is the . This includes:
• the need for ‘meaningful participation’, that is the extent to which people in the community actually
participate in processes of relevance to them so they can also make a valuable contribution to the
municipality
• recognising different levels of consultation and participation of the community and where necessary
to set the right level of participation to make sure that there is effective government, and
• the need to be transparent about the link between participatory process and actual decision-making,
that is the link between consulting with the community and making a decision.
These qualitative aspects are more difficult to achieve and can never be guaranteed through procedures
and regulations. We must then recognise the importance of political culture and convention – the habits of
municipalities or the way they usually operate as this is often more important than the officially endorsed operating
principles and policies.

The creation of government systems, regulations and frameworks for citizens’ participation is
usually regarded as the hallmark of advanced democracies. Citizens should, however, be alert to
the possibility that these provisions do not come without costs to the independence and vibrancy of
civil society – participation loses its value if it is entirely within terms dictated by the State. American
political scientist J. C. Scott has warned of the inclination of modern states to “high modernism” – a
tendency to seek increasing intervention and regulation of all aspects of society.
A useful distinction between different forms of participation was outlined in a recent submission by the Good
Governance Learning Network South Africa (GGLN) to the Department of Provincial and Local Government (dplg).
The GGLN proposed that:

A distinction can be drawn between two types of “spaces” for public participation. One is “provided
space” which refers to government-provided opportunities for participation. “Provided spaces”
tend to be regulated and institutionalised through a set of policies and laws. Since 1994, South
Africans have seen the opening of “provided spaces” for public participation in democratic local
governance through policies and laws such as the South African Constitution, the White Paper on
Local Government, the Municipal Structures Act, Municipal Systems Act, the Municipal Finance
Management Act, and the Municipal Property Rates Act. These policies and laws invite citizens to
participate in a range of government created and regulated structures such as IDP representative
forums and ward committees. Participation taking place in these “provided spaces” is generally
known as structured participation or participation by invitation.

A second set of “spaces” are “popular spaces”, which refers to arenas in which people
come together on their own initiative – whether for solidarity or to protest government polices or
performance, or simply to engage government on terms that are not provided for within “provided
spaces”. “Popular spaces” may be institutionalised in the form of groups or associations (e.g. the
Anti-Privatisation Forum or civic associations), but they are mostly transient expressions of public
dissatisfaction or dissent.

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Public Participation in Local Governance
13

Section 2: Legislation and Policy

Chapter 2
Since 1994, local government in South Africa has been shaped and guided by the following pieces of
legislation, amongst others:
1. The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996
2. The Batho Pele White Paper, 1997
3. The White Paper on Local Government, 1998
4. Local Government: Municipal Demarcation Act, 1998
5. Local Government: Municipal Structures Act, 1998
6. Local Government: Municipal Systems Act, 2000
7. Promotion of Access to Information Act, 2000
8. Municipal Planning and Performance Management Regulations, 2001
9. Local Governement: Municipal Finance Management Act, 2003
10. The Guidelines for the Establishment and Operation of Municipal Ward
Committees, 2005.
All these pieces of legislation describe the way in which local government should function, and
provide the framework for how local government interacts with local civil society.
The following is a brief summary of the provisions in the local government legislation relating to
community participation.

a) The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996

Chapter 7 (Section 152) of the Constitution sets out the objectives
of local government. Public participation is an imperative of two
objectives, to: Chapter 7 of the Constitution
• provide democratic and accountable government for local sets out the objectives of local
communities, government.
• encourage the involvement of communities and community
organisations in the matters of local government.

b) The White Paper on Local Government,

1998
The White Paper – which is often referred to as the ‘mini-constitution’ Developmental Local
for the local sphere of government – defines Developmental Government is local
Local Government as local government committed to working government committed to
with citizens and groups within the community to find long-term or
working with citizens and
sustainable ways to meet the social, economic and material needs and
improve the quality of the lives of the community. To realise this vision,
groups within the community.
municipalities are encouraged to build local democracy by developing
strategies and mechanisms to continuously engage with citizens,
business and community groups. The White Paper requires active
participation of citizens at four levels, as:
 14 Making Ward Committees Function
Resource Book: Best Practices & Lessons Learnt

1. voters
2. participants in the policy process
3. consumers and service-users
4. partners in resource mobilisation.
The White Paper further states that municipalities must represent the interests of the people in the community
and work with all sections of the community to build a shared vision and to set goals for development.

c) Local Government: Municipal Structures Act, 1998

Chapter 2 (Section 19) of the Act requires a municipality to strive, within its
capacity, to achieve the objectives set out in Section 152 of the Constitution,
Requires a municipality namely to:
to strive to achieve the • develop mechanisms to consult the community and community
objectives set out in the organisations in performance of its functions and exercising its
Constitution. powers,
• annually review the needs of the community and municipal
priorities and strategies for meeting those needs and involving the
community in municipal processes.
Chapter 4 (Part 4) is the section of the Act that requires the etablishment of ward committees. The objective is to
enhance participatory democracy in local government. This chapter also provides that the ward councillor shall be
the chairperson of the ward committee and obliges the municipal council to make rules regulating the procedure to
elect members of the ward committees.
The Act further provides:
• a framework for the powers and functions of ward committees
• the term of office
• procedures for dealing with vacancies
• a ruling on remuneration
• procedures for dissolution of ward committees.

d) Local Government: Municipal Systems Act, 2000

Chapter 4 of this Act calls for municipalities to develop a culture of municipal
governance that works hand-in-hand with formal representative government
Chapter 4 calls for (that is elected leaders) with a system of participatory governance (that is
municipalities to develop community participation).
a culture of municipal
The Act also requires that municipalities develop mechanisms, processes
governance that works and procedures for community participation.
hand-in-hand with
formal representative Section 5 (1) of the Act sets out Rights and Duties of Members of the
Local Community and specifically outlines the citizen’s right to:
government with a
system of participatory • contribute to the decision-making process of the municipality;
governance. and submit written or oral recommendations, representations
and complaints to the municipal council or to another political
structure or a political office bearer or the administration of the
municipality
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Public Participation in Local Governance
15

• prompt responses to their written or oral communications, including complaints to the

Chapter 2
municipal council
• be informed of decisions of the municipal council, or another political structure or any
political office bearer of the municipality, affecting their rights, property and reasonable
expectations.
As we can see from these pieces of legislation, the emphasis is on the rights of citizens in
relation to municipal functions. The legislation is put in place because it recognises that
participatory democracy is a critical component of local government.

Points for Municipal research conducted in 2004 suggests that

if citizens enter the participatory process without
reflection knowing and being aware of their rights, the process
of local government participation will not necessarily
respect or deliver this right.

e) Municipal Planning and Performance

Management Regulations, 2001
There is a close connection between the Municipal
Planning and Performance Management Regulations and The Act states that a
the Municipal Systems Act. municipality must involve
The Local Government: Municipal Systems Act (2000) states that:
the local community
in the performance
A municipality through appropriate mechanisms, processes and procedures management system of
established in terms of Chapter 4, must involve the local community the municipality.
in the development, implementation and review of the municipality’s
performance management system, and, in particular, allow the community
to participate in the setting of appropriate key performance indicators and
performance targets for the municipality. [Section 42]

The Act requires that a municipality:

• develops a performance management system (PMS)
• sets targets and indicators and monitors and reviews performance based on those
indicators
• publishes an annual report on performance for the councillors, the staff, the public and
other spheres of government
• conducts an internal audit on performance before tabling the above report
• has the annual performance report audited by the Auditor General
• includes in their PMS the General Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) prescribed by the
Minister and reports on these indicators
• involves the community in setting indicators and targets and reviewing municipal
performance.
16 Making Ward Committees Function
Resource Book: Best Practices & Lessons Learnt

Section 15 of the Municipal Planning and Performance Management Regulations further says that if there are no
other municipal-wide structures for community participation, a municipality must establish a forum. The forum
must be representative and enhance community participation in the Integrated Development Plan (IDP).
In addition the forum must enhance public participation in monitoring, measuring and reviewing municipal
performance.

The functions of the forum include:

• consultation and monitoring of the IDP and its implementation and review
• discussion of the PMS and its implementation and review
• monitoring municipal performance according to the Key Performance Indicators and targets set by the
municipality.

In essence, the White Paper on Local Government

visualises a process where communities will be
involved in governance matters, including planning,
implementation and performance monitoring and
review… communities would be empowered to identify
their needs, set performance indicators and targets
and thereby hold municipalities accountable for their
performance in service delivery.

Thus, where ward committees exist as the principal or main form of community
participation, there is an obligation on the municipality to involve these committees
in the setting of key performance indicators and targets and monitoring of these
indicators and targets.

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Introduction
17

f) Promotion of Access to Information Act, 2000

Chapter 1
The Act gives access
The Act is intended to “give effect to the Constitutional right of access to state and other
to any information held by the State and any information that is held by information required for
another person and that is required for the exercise or protection of any
the protection of rights.
rights; and to provide for matters connected therewith”.

Within the context of local government, this means that the public, that is the
citizens, have a right (using the correct channels and procedures) to access any
information or records of a municipality, especially if by doing so they are requesting this information
exercise for the broader public interest.

These documents of public interest may include financial records and any other information related to
the performance of the municipality in discharging its obligations of service delivery.

g) Local Government: Municipal Finance Management Act,

2003 (MFMA)
The purpose of the MFMA is to:

• bring about transparent and effective financial management in The MFMA has been
municipalities and municipal public entities (such as the Johannesburg
put in place because
Bus Company). This Act must indicate clearly what both the obligations
and the liabilities are to the responsible officials and structures
of problems associated
with municipal spending.
• the MFMA also sets up a Municipal Financial Recovery Service. This It also outlines ways in
allows the National Treasury (NT) to intervene where a municipality faces which the community
a financial emergency
can be informed of the
• another key provision is a chapter on debt which shows the difference financial situation of a
between short-term borrowing and long-term capital investment. municipality.
Although the national and/or provincial government will not give a guarantee
that it will pay any municipal debt or ‘bailouts’, government is confident that by
including the different measures in the Act the credit worthiness of municipalities will increase.

The Act explicitly sets out how the non-discretionary nature of the grant may need to be limited (by
stopping transfers) where there are serious and persistent breaches of the Act [Section 5 (2)].

The Equitable Share transfer is a key financial instrument for providing services to poor people and
for subsidising services to indigent households.

One of the responsibilities of ward committees is to help make sure that financial transfers from
national government are used for the purposes they are intended for, such as ensuring that poor
people get basic services.
18 Making Ward Committees Function
Resource Book: Best Practices & Lessons Learnt

What the MFMA says to ensure that communities know about the financial situation
of their municipalities:

Making the budget and supporting documents available to the public

This Act requires that the budget and accompanying documents must be made available to the public
immediately after it has been tabled in the council. The council must allow for public representations
on the budget in accordance with Section 22 (a) (i) and (ii). Ward committees are a good way for the
budget to be circulated and to facilitate representation and feedback from the community.
7KHDFFRXQWLQJRIÀFHUPXVWSXWNH\ÀQDQFLDOLQIRUPDWLRQRQWKH
municipality’s website
Another requirement outlined in the MFMA as a way of ensuring that the public knows about the
finances of the municipality is that the accounting officer of a municipality must put key financial
information in the public domain by placing it on the municipality’s website. [Section 75]
This information includes:
• budgets and related documents
• the annual report
• performance agreements
• service delivery agreements
• partnership agreements
• any other documents providing insight into the state of the municipality’s financial affairs.
Since a minority of the public enjoys access to websites, this is clearly a limited form of transparency. For
this reason ward committees are an important way of reaching the broader community as they may be
able to assist a broader spectrum of the public to access and understand this information.
Produce an annual report
Municipalities have an obligation to produce and table an annual report as another important
mechanism for accountability and transparency. The purpose of the annual report includes: “to promote
accountability to the local community for the decisions made throughout the year by the municipality or
municipal entity.” [Section 121 (2)]
The annual report sets out information on:
• municipal activities
• performance against budget
• the state of finances, including arrears (as set out in financial statements)
• the Auditor General’s assessment and the municipality’s responses to audit remarks. [Section
121 (1) - (3)]
The annual financial statements must include notes on the salary packages of senior managers and
allowances and benefits of councillors, as well as any arrears owed by councillors to the municipality.
This information is usually of considerable public interest. [Section 124 (1) - (2)] Again, ward
committees should ensure that this information is disseminated and understood by persons who would
not ordinarily read technical reports.
Council meeting that deal with the annual report must be open to the public and sufficient time must
be allocated for members of the public to address the council. [Section 130(1)]
Although not a provision of the MFMA, it is clear that ward committees can play a role in mobilising
public attendance and even assisting with preparing community inputs for such meetings.

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Public Participation in Local Governance
19

Chapter 2
These strong policy provisions for public
participation will only be translated into reality
once they are broadly known to citizens and
there is increasing awareness of the existence
and practical value of ward committees.

h) Batho Pele White Paper, 1997

The Batho Pele White Paper aims to provide citizen-oriented customer The Batho Pele White
services. This means that all public servants, including municipal staff, are Paper is the national
required to ensure that the service they offer to the public is efficient and polite. governments’ key
Batho Pele calls for a shift away from inward-looking, bureaucratic systems, policy document for
processes and attitudes to an attitude that says ‘the needs of the public come
transforming public
first’. This may mean that new ways of working with the public are required,
such as offering a public service that is better, faster and more responsive to the
service delivery.
citizens’ needs.
The objectives of service delivery therefore include welfare, equity and efficiency. Batho Pele is a
Sotho expression meaning ‘People First’. The Batho Pele policy framework consists of eight service
delivery principles:

The Eight Principles of Batho Pele

1. Consultation
Citizens should be consulted about the level and quality of the public services they receive and, wherever
possible, should be given a choice about the services that are offered
2. Service standards
Citizens should be told what level and quality of public services they will receive so that they are aware of
what to expect
3. Access
All citizens should have equal access to the services to which they are entitled
4. Courtesy
Citizens should be treated with courtesy and consideration
5. Information
Citizens should be given full, accurate information about the public services they are entitled to receive
6. Openness and transparency
Citizens should be told how national and provincial departments are run, how much they cost, and who is
in charge
7. Redress
If the promised standard of service is not delivered, citizens should be offered an apology, a full explanation
and a speedy and effective remedy; and when complaints are made, citizens should receive a sympathetic,
positive response
8. Value for money
Public services should be provided economically and efficiently in order to give citizens the best possible
value for money
20 Making Ward Committees Function
Resource Book: Best Practices & Lessons Learnt

Improving public service delivery not only affects the individual user of the services but also society in general
(communities, business, NGOs/CBOs, etc.). Improved delivery of services is essential for the future economic
prosperity and social development of the country. The Batho Pele principles can be used as excellent benchmarks
for ward committees to monitor and provide feedback on municipal service quality, especially ‘across the counter’
service.

Section 2: Ward Participatory System

The Local Government: Municipal Structures Act, 1998 says:

The objective of a ward committee is to enhance participatory democracy in local government.

Ward committees are a part of local governance and an important way of achieving the aims of local
governance and democracy mentioned in the Constitution, 1996.
The Local Government: Municipal Structures Act, 1998 is the Act that makes provision for the establishment of
ward committees as a possible way of encouraging community participation in municipal matters.
A general understanding has emerged that a ward committee is an area-based committee whose boundaries
coincide with ward boundaries.

Ward committees:
• are made up of representatives of a particular ward
• are made up of members who represent various interests within the ward
• ward committees are chaired by the ward councillor
• are meant to be an institutionalised channel of communication and interaction between
communities and municipalities
• give the community members the opportunity to express their needs, their opinions on issues
that affect their lives and to have them heard at the municipal level via the ward councillor
• are advisory bodies created within the sphere of civil society to assist the ward councillor in
carrying out his or her mandate in the most democratic manner possible.

Points for • Ward committees raise issues about the local ward to the ward
councillor.
reflection
• They are the link between the councillor and the community.
• They have a say (on behalf of the community) in decisions,
planning, projects, the Integrated Development Planning,
performance management and allocation of funds that the
council or municipality may decide on that will affect the ward.
• They play an important role in informing municipal
performance management and budgeting.

© dplg and GTZ

Establishment of
Ward Committees

Chapter3
22 Making Ward Committees Function
Resource Book: Best Practices & Lessons Learnt

Introduction
A survey conducted by dplg and GTZ in 2004 showed that the establishment date for municipalities differs from
province to province and municipality to municipality. One of the key guiding factors was legislation, i.e. the fact
that the current municipal regime only came into being in 2000 with the Local Government: Municipal Systems
Act, 2000 and the first local government elections took place in December 2000.
The Local Government: Municipal Structures Act, 1998 contains most of the pertinent provisions relating to
ward committees. However, the establishment of municipal types that included the ward committee option only
happened after December 2000. Those municipalities that established ward committees prior to this date deserve
recognition for being forward-looking and innovative. The lessons from this period should not be overlooked.
2001 was the year in which most ward committees were established, notable exceptions being the Western Cape
and KwaZulu-Natal where provincial governments generally opted not to have the system until 2004.

%HQHÀWVDQGFKDOOHQJHV(VWDEOLVKPHQWRIZDUGVXEFRPPLWWHHV
The establishment of ward sub-committees is more effective in places where there are clearly defined
geographic areas or localities and also well-organised sectoral structures. In case of geographic
area representatives, the establishment of sub-committees assists representatives by advising
them on issues affecting the community. In ensuring full spatial (that is geographic) or sector-
based representation, the ‘problem’ of the 10-member limitation is easily overcome by providing
for ex-officio representation, that is, representatives of the community who are asked to join ward
committee deliberations on particular issues.

Section 1: Experiences after the 2000 Local

Government Elections
The 2004 national survey suggests that most municipalities seem to have regarded the provisions of the Local
Government: Municipal Structures Act, 1998 and the Municipal Systems Act, 2000 as insufficient for the full
establishment and operation of ward committees. National government prescribed guidelines rather than a
detailed prescription of how ward committees should be put in place and this may have made some municipalities
cautious about establishing ward committees.
Some policy-makers expressed concern that municipalities followed different processes when establishing ward
committee systems. While this ‘lack of uniformity’ was to be expected, each municipality is unique and had to
adapt the legal provisions outlined in these Acts to suit their local conditions and conventions. In order to assist
weaker municipalities who had struggled with the establishment process, the South African Local Government
Association (SALGA) provided a set of national ward committee guidelines. Unfortunately, these became confused
with the legal provisions and in some instances were regarded as mandatory rather than discretionary.

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Establishment of Ward Committees
23

Chapter 3
Guidelines are to guide, not to regulate!
The result of this rather cautious and rule-driven approach to ward committee
systems is that five years after the ward committee policy came into being, there is
little innovation or imagination evident in the manner in which ward committees were
established.

This is largely due to the fact that best practices were not identified in ward
committee research conducted since 2001. Good governance will always depend to
some degree on experimentation and creativity and municipalities and ward committees
should not be afraid to attempt resourceful local solutions.

Since then, the dplg has gazetted Guidelines for the Establishment and
Operation of Municipal Ward Committees in 2005. The purpose of these is:

To provide uniform and simplified guidelines to ward committee members, ward

councillors and metropolitan and local municipalities on the establishment and
operation of ward committees.

There were some lessons to be learnt from the implementation of ward committee
systems as certain methods worked better than others, as illustrated below.

When reading the following information,

consider it in conjunction with the respective
legislation and ward committee guidelines
described above.

a) Provincial guidelines
In 2001 two provinces, Gauteng and the Northern Cape, provided guidelines in response to requests
for assistance from many municipalities who were unsure how to go about establishing their ward
committees. These guidelines operated as a framework and were adapted to local circumstances. The
City of Johannesburg’s by-law on ward committees, for example, is adapted from guidelines issued by
the Gauteng Provincial Department of Local Government.
24 Making Ward Committees Function
Resource Book: Best Practices & Lessons Learnt

b) Municipal policies and by-laws

A number of municipalities have passed by-laws, sometimes also referred to as regulatory frameworks, for ward
committees falling under their jurisdiction. Such by-laws are important as they serve as an official document of the
councils, regulating the establishment, operations and functioning of ward committees.
Not all municipalities have a policy for ward committee operations. Some provinces like the Western Cape only
recently adopted the ward committee system but reported that there is already a high percentage of municipalities
with policies in place.

Clear local policies to regulate the operation of the ward committee system have been put in place
not as a way of controlling a municipality but rather to provide a clear outline of the systems and
procedures that will help ward committees to operate successfully.
Currently there is much reliance on national (SALGA and dplg) guidelines. The function of guidelines
has, however, become blurred and it appears that many municipalities are seeking ‘policy conformity’,
i.e. they adopt the guidelines per se with little thought given to local conditions and the need for
adaptation. Each municipality is different and should try and put in place policies that are most
suitable for their needs so that they can service their communities effectively.
Research has indicated that successful local policies for the ward committee system should contain
the following:
• give a basic outline of how the municipality operates its ward committee system
• act as a basic handbook for officials and councillors who are responsible for implementing
procedures like elections, tabling of ward committee reports, and providing the necessary
resources for effective operations
• clearly signal to civil society how the ward committee system can be used for improved
communication with council and what can reasonably be expected from such a system.

c) Council Resolution
In the cases where a simple council resolution was taken for the establishment of ward committees, there
appear to have been problems of interpretation. This has led to non-uniformity across wards. The lesson is that
differences in the establishment and operations were a result of lack of detail in the council resolutions. In the
absence of a clear resolution from council, ward councillors exercised their own initiative, resulting in divergent
models that are not always supported by the local community.

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Establishment of Ward Committees
25

Section 2: Ward Committee Membership and

Chapter 3
Composition
a) Composition
Legislation and the national guidelines state that each ward will have:
• a ward committee, made up of not more than 10 members
• the 10 elected people should represent a diversity of interests in the ward and be
equitably representative of women. Diversity has typically been understood to mean a
variety of representation, e.g. civic or rate-payers bodies, development organisations,
labour unions, business associations, transport and commuter associations, women,
youth, faith-based, cultural and other organisations5
• elected by communities residing in the ward area
• the ward councillor is the chairperson of the ward committee.
The Council, however, makes the rules for electing Ward Committee members.

b) Election procedures and methods of nomination

The nomination and election of ward committees has mostly been conducted in an informal way. As
a result, the outcomes varied and it is not possible for municipalities to claim that ward committee
legitimacy is based purely on voter turnout and the rigour of the election process. At the same time
we must be aware of the conditions under which many municipalities operate and the resources at
their disposal.
Municipalities conducted nomination and election procedures in a number of different ways and
frequently conflated the nomination procedure with the election procedure. In the National Ward
Committee Survey 2004/05 half the respondents regarded ward committees as ‘elected’ whilst
slightly less (41%) said the ward committee was formed by nomination.
It appears unrealistic to expect a high percentage of registered voters to formally turn out and vote in
ward elections. Nonetheless, most municipal respondents tend to regard such elections as ‘effective’
or partly ‘effective’.
Public perceptions and awareness are often quite different. For this reason, municipal stakeholders
need to be careful about using electoral procedures to claim legitimacy for ward committees. Given
resource and capacity constraints this is unlikely to change, and ward committees are best treated as
bodies with a partial public mandate that need to remain as open as possible to further public
representation.
This should not detract from the fact that ward committees exist as the primary vehicle for
participation.

5
For actual legal provisions see section 73 (1) – (4) of the Local Government: Municipal Structures Act, 1998.
26 Making Ward Committees Function
Resource Book: Best Practices & Lessons Learnt

A typical election procedure and method of nominating candidates would be:

• Community members representing various interest groups are elected at a community meeting
(show of hands or formal ballot) to serve in the ward committee.
or
• Similar type of sectoral structures (for example women’s groups, farmers’ organisations) come
together to nominate their representative to represent their sectoral interest in the ward
committee.
or
• Existing structures in the ward are requested to send their nominations to a meeting where
names are to be confirmed by residents of the ward to constitute the ward committee.
or
• Geographic areas constituting the ward are requested to send their nominated representatives to
serve as members of the ward committee.

Whatever nomination or election process is used, it is important that this process is agreed upon by all
stakeholders and that clear written records of the process are put in place and available for public scrutiny. This
does not guarantee legitimacy but it helps!
Ward councillors should also be encouraged to review the process at the first meeting of their ward committee,
and if necessary put in place ward plans to improve the credibility and public awareness of the ward
committee. This is especially important if the nomination and/or election process was informal or attracted little
public interest and a low voter turnout.

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Establishment of Ward Committees
27

Chapter 3
Some scenarios of ward committee establishment
Value for money – One
The Blesbok municipality managed to assemble a budget of R1 million for the first year of its
ward committee (WC) operations. To ensure that its ward committees were democratically
elected, council spent R50 000 on a weekend multi-party bosberaad where the principles
of nominating and electing ward committee members were thrashed out. An additional
R350 000 was spent on the logistics of electing ward committee members. This included a
full-colour pullout in the local paper that listed the approved nominations for each ward.
Unfortunately the wards were listed by number only with no corresponding map and so only
a handful of citizens were able to match the names of the candidates
to their particular wards. As a result, the turnout at the ward
committee elections ranged from 0.3% - 11% of the eligible voters. Value for
Council then contracted a national training consultancy to provide
a 10-module training course for ward committees over 6 months. money - One
The course was comprehensive and covered everything from the
Constitutional Mandate of Local Government to the Division
of Revenue Act plus skills required for community leadership.
Participants were required to attend 2 sessions of 3 hours per week. Because the training
was mostly during working hours only unemployed WC members were available to attend.
However, some of this group was only partially literate and most had an average education
of Standard 6. They quickly lost interest in the complex ideas being presented and dropped
out of the course. Eventually 15% of the total number of WC members actually completed
the course which cost the municipality R275 000. By this stage the WC system was
beginning to falter so council had the idea of providing the WC with smart new offices and
furniture at the newly built multi-purpose resource centres. Twenty such offices were fitted
and equipped at a cost of R300 000. The remaining R25 000 was divided amongst the 75
wards for stationery and transport costs – however, this operating budget ran out after 3
months. Currently only about a quarter of the municipality’s wards actually function and
members pay their own transport costs and record minutes on the back of old ballot papers.
Value for money – Two
The Mtilini municipality had a budget of only R65 000 for the operation of its 18 wards.
Mtilini ward committee members were elected by a show of hands at community meetings.
Nobody objected to this informality and it cost the municipality R2 000 for posters and
local advertisements plus a few tanks of petrol for presiding officers to attend the election
meetings. Council immediately set aside R200 for each WC meeting
but allowed the committees discretion in deciding how to use this
money. Value for
Council set conditions:
• it needed a set of written minutes from each ward
money - Two
committee meeting
• such meetings should be at least once a month
• all expenses should be accounted for
• any indigent member of a WC who required a transport subsidy would be eligible
for an amount of R20 provided the committee approved such payment
• the ward committee has the discretion to forgo a ward meeting and use the
R200 for community outreach activities.
28 Making Ward Committees Function
Resource Book: Best Practices & Lessons Learnt

Council commissioned a basic training course from a regional NGO. The NGO provided 2 hours of
evening training at 3 cluster WC workshops spread over the municipal area. The NGO has now been
commissioned to do back-up support/mentoring at quarterly intervals in conjunction with the newly
deployed community development worker. The total cost of these services is R36 000, of which the
NGO managed to raise R20 000 from donors through its partnership with Mtilini. Mtilini has further
negotiated a deal with local clinics to use their waiting rooms for WC meetings; alternatively some
rural schools have made classrooms available.
Currently about 75% of Mtilini ward committees meet at least fortnightly and the committee often
sends members to community meetings in remote parts of the municipality, sometimes catching a
lift with district health staff. One ward committee has been disbanded for misusing its budgetary
allocation on a ‘cocktail party’. In October 2004 the local farmers association was so impressed with
the WC outreach programme to farming areas that they donated an old off-road motorcycle to assist
the committee in its work. So far, none of the committee members has managed to master the bike
but one has sprained his ankle trying!

Points for • From the Blesbok and Mtilini examples, which municipality
reflection demonstrates the most effective use of a WC budget?
• What lessons would you take away for your ward committee or
local municipality?

Representation
Earlier research on ward committees conducted by the Urban Sector Network South Africa/Afesis-corplan and
HOLOGRAM outlined issues of representation which are worth revisiting:

Sound practice in representation:

The mix of area-based representatives and sector-based representatives is a sound principle that
can be adjusted to suit circumstances. Rural wards may, for example, need a higher proportion
of geographically-based representatives to cover dispersed settlements/villages. Where villages are
highly dispersed and numerous it may be necessary to cluster villages for representation purposes.
Where the number of seats (10) still restricts village representation it is possible to have ex-officio
representation of villages thus reserving a few seats for those interests, e.g. farmers and traditional
leaders, which are clearly important stakeholders across the ward as a whole. In Afesis-corplan studies
on Mbhashe ward committees, the emphasis on geographic rather than sector representation was
marked.

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Establishment of Ward Committees
29

Chapter 3
In urban areas where certain interests cross-cut localities, it may be advisable to
have a higher proportion of seats given to interest groups. Nevertheless one needs
to be mindful that South Africa is still a class- and race-delineated society and good
judgement is necessary in ensuring that ward committees are also representative of
local demographics.
The issue with the limits on representation imposed by the membership limit of 10 may
disappear if the potential of ex-officio membership is explored.
As indicated in the findings of case studies, ward committees elected under weak
systems and with low percentage polls need to be especially open to the idea of
ex-officio or occasional interest representation even if only on a temporary basis. This
could be especially important in new and rapidly expanding settlements like Diepsloot
where Planact observes the potential for new community organisations to grow as the
settlement rapidly expands through the arrival of new residents and land occupation.

Issues of representation tend to become quite complex with regard to who screens potential interest
groups from civil society and how they are finally elected to the ward committee.
A few simple principles may help to guide municipalities and local civil society:

• Clearly identifiable interest groups with existing standing in the community and a well-
defined focus that intersects with municipal governance are clearly important.
• Insofar as possible, let local civil society define its own preferred and credible
representatives.
• While it is important for council to recognise civil society interest groups on ward
committees, council should avoid screening nominations or ’hand-picking’ such groups.
The idea that council should elect ward committees is clearly antithetical to the essential
autonomy of these bodies.
• Negotiations between political parties for the recognition of civil society groups is a
misguided exercise and only confuses the distinction between a community mandate
and a party mandate.

• Using important development issues within the ward to define which interest groups
are relevant to municipal functions is pragmatic. It is important to balance this against
trying to use technically derived Key Performance Areas (KPA) to assess the relevance
of interest groups as a measurement to decide which interest groups should be
represented. The point is to identify and include the relevant interest groups, and KPA
should not be used as an exclusionary instrument.

• Never allow organisational dominance of ward committees to override its services to

individual citizens, especially with regard to basic functions like receiving and referring
complaints and petitions.
30 Making Ward Committees Function
Resource Book: Best Practices & Lessons Learnt

%HQHÀWVDQGFKDOOHQJHV(OHFWLRQSURFHVV
The mixed election system, that is the system that draws representatives from different sectors (youth,
business, health, etc.) and from geographic areas or localities, has been widely applied and is likely
to remain the most feasible and pragmatic basis for representation. In rural areas with weak forms
of civil organisation, the matter of geographic representation is usually more important than sector
representation.
Where elections were held, these were often confused and/or uncontested. Regarding the costs and
effort to municipalities in running ward committee elections, there is no guarantee that there will be
any concomitant benefit in attaining a credible and legitimate ward committee system.
In most cases, ward committee elections over-stretched municipal administrative and logistical
capacity and also attracted very low turnouts at the ward committee establishment meetings.
In the interests of deeper public understanding, municipalities should conduct education programmes
around the ward committee model of representation immediately prior to ward elections and ensure
that the nomination process for such elections is clearly understood and open to all significant
interest groups within local civil society.

Points for • Municipalities have made a concerted effort to have properly

reflection: elected ward committees but the process has been difficult,
Real expensive and inconclusive as to how strong the electoral
practice mandate of ward committees is.
versus • Although some ward committees have been elected on the
basis of a small percentage of the eligible voters and even
policy and at informal public meetings, these procedures are seen to
legislation be important even when they are simple and informal. Since
ward committees play an important role as the link between
the community and the councillors, the election or formation of
ward committees should be conducted in the way best suited
to that particular council, provided that all the people involved
agree to the way in which it will be established. This may
mean that a council has to follow a more practical approach
rather than strict adherence to legislative compliance.
• Another policy question for a council may be whether to scrap
elections and rely purely on nominated ward committees or
spend further resources and effort on bolstering the elections
process.

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Establishment of Ward Committees
31

Chapter 3
Points for • Not all municipalities can have ward committees and
reflection those that are eligible in terms of the law by virtue of
their type of muncipality, do so as a matter of choice.
This needs to be clearly understood by citizens and
ward committee members alike. Otherwise this can
lead to dissatisfaction in the community as they may
have an expectation that their council must have a
ward committee even though the legislation does not
require it.

%HQHÀWVDQGFKDOOHQJHV3ROLWLFDOLQÁXHQFH
Although political parties should not influence how a ward committee is elected or
appointed as set out in the policy provisions, there have been situations where party
political influence has played a significant role in ward committee nomination processes.
In some instances, councillors, municipal staff and political parties have had a major role
in determining who is represented on ward committees. There have also been instances
of attempts to strike a deal across party lines. In Buffalo City in the Eastern Cape, for
example, multiparty caucuses were convened to get consensus on the nomination
process.
While this practice is clearly better than having the nomination process decided by a
single party, it nonetheless brings a high degree of party influence into what, in policy
terms, is intended to be a civil society function. In such circumstances, given the reality
that some political parties took on the responsibility for mobilising communities to
participate in the ward activities, it is unsurprising that many ward committees are seen
to be party-aligned.
There are a few obvious problems with this way of establishing a ward
committee such as:
• It may simply reproduce the main political forces already represented on council
and it therefore becomes difficult for council to hear anything new from local
civil society as most feedback will be filtered through the party machine.
• Many wards contain citizens who do not all vote for the same party. When the
ward committee is seen to be controlled by a single party, potentially important
interest groups and individuals aligned to other parties inevitably become
alienated from the ward committee and feel that there is little or no point in
participating as their opinions, ideas and suggestions will not be listened to.
32 Making Ward Committees Function
Resource Book: Best Practices & Lessons Learnt

• Because South Africa’s political parties attracted support largely on race and class lines
(despite their efforts to overcome this), party alignment of ward committees serves only to
entrench divisions of race and class at neighbourhood level.
• Local government is increasingly vulnerable to allegations of political cronyism, i.e. practices
of nepotism and patronage that favour those who are powerful or influential within the party
rather than those with proven leadership ability or professional competence.
• Party dominance of ward committees carries the risk of spreading the same problem into local
civil matters.

Party political influence is not one of the issues covered in the national ward committee guidelines. However,
the guidelines do provide for the general conduct of members and suggest an institutional culture for ward
committees:

(1) A member of the committee:

(a) Must perform the functions of the committee in good faith and without fear, favour or
prejudice;

(b) May not use the position or privileges of a member for private gain, or to improperly benefit
another person;

(c) May not act in any other way that compromises the credibility, impartiality, independence or
integrity of the committee;

(d) Must adopt the principle of accountability to the community and all political parties
represented in council;

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Establishment of Ward Committees
33

Chapter 3
(e) Must be accessible for the community and ensure that all role-players can relate
to the process and the issues at hand and are able to make their input into the
processes of the committee;

(f) Must adopt the principle of transparency to promote openness, sincerity and
honesty among all the role-players in a participatory process; promote trust and
respect for the integrity of each role-player; and a commitment by all to the
overriding objectives of the process in the interest of the common good;

(g) Must recognise diversity and understand the differences associated with race,
gender, religion, ethnicity, language, age, economic status and sexual orientation,
among others;

(h) Must embrace all views and opinions in the process of community participation.
Special effort should be made to include previously disadvantaged persons and
groups, including women and youth in the activities of the ward committee; and

(i) Must provide an apology with a valid reason to the chairperson of the committee
if a meeting cannot be attended.

(2) Ward committee members must sign a Code of Conduct, which should be administered
by the ward councillor. 6

Note from the dplg and GTZ National Ward Committee Survey 2004/05
In general it is not clear that ward committees have succeeded in
delivering a diversity of interests as required by the Municipal Structures
Act. However, there had been much effort devoted to ensuring equitable
gender representation.

c) Composition and portfolios

Since ward committees are established to ensure that the opinions of the public are taken into
account, giving ward committee members specific portfolios is one way of making sure that this
happens. For this reason, many ward committees have adopted a practice of giving portfolios to ward
committee members to manage to ensure effectiveness. This approach allows portfolio members
from all the wards (who are responsible for the same portfolio) to meet with relevant municipal
departments and portfolio committees to discuss issues related to their portfolio.
In some areas where the wards are extensive and cover either large geographic areas or large
numbers of people, sub-committees have been established based on portfolios. In this way, ward
committee members who are responsible for particular portfolios are able to link with these sub-
committees, thereby deepening consultation with communities on issues affecting them. This
system aims to strengthen community and ward committee involvement in council decision-making
processes.

6
Guidelines for the Establishment and Operation of Municipal Ward Committees, 2005
34 Making Ward Committees Function
Resource Book: Best Practices & Lessons Learnt

Ward councillors and their ward secretaries remain the central communication links between the ward committees
and municipal councils, and the overall effectiveness of the system depends on how the councillors and secretaries
perform.

%HQHÀWVDQGFKDOOHQJHV3RUWIROLRV
In cases where ward committee members are allocated portfolios, the system ensures that each
member has a particular role to play within the ward. This also allows members to develop
experience and understand the issues related to their portfolio. The portfolio arrangement allows
members to engage with both the municipal line departments and the sub-committees of council that
are relevant to the portfolio.

Allocation of portfolios
In some cases ward committee members are allocated to portfolios by virtue of the structures or sectors in which
they are already active as members of civil society. For example, the member representing farmers may be given
the portfolio on Agriculture, or a ward committee member who is an educator may work on the Education portfolio.
Portfolios will differ from council to council depending on the needs of the council. The reason is that this sector-
based experience or expertise gives them an advantage when engaging the particular municipal line function as
they are familiar with the situation on the ground.
Understandably not all sector-based activity or individual interest can be matched to a particular municipal line
function. Interaction with ward committees suggests that members, who are allocated portfolios irrespective of
their organisational base in civil society, are likely to be less actively engaged with municipal functions.
Furthermore, persons may find that their particular interests and sector involvement as ordinary citizens does not
clearly match the day-to-day functions of the municipality so portfolio members remain inactive, leading to their
disillusionment.
Due to limited resources allocated to ward committees, portfolio members in wards which are extensive are over-
stretched and therefore not in a position to cover all the ward areas when consulting on issues related to their
portfolios. In the wards that are spatially concentrated, such as in urban areas, the system is easy to apply.
Ward committee members may be given more than one portfolio. For example, where the size of wards tends to
overstretch the council members responsible for a particular portfolio, ward committee members may be required
to assume more than one portfolio and maintain an overall knowledge of issues within the ward.

7KHEHQHÀWVRIZDUGFRPPLWWHHVFDQEHVXPPHGXSDVIROORZV
• ward committees exist as the primary vehicle for public participation in municipal affairs
• they constitute the most feasible and pragmatic base for civic representation, whether sector
or geographic
• ward committees form the link between the community and the ward councillors
• by virtue of being a function of civic society and not party political they can function
independently of the strictures imposed by party alliances.

© dplg and GTZ

Roles and Responsibilities of
Ward Committees

Chapter 4
36 Making Ward Committees Function
Resource Book: Best Practices & Lessons Learnt

Section 1: The Functions, Roles and Responsibilities of

Ward Committees

Functions of ward committees7

When devising a ward committee system it is important to proceed from the principle that structure and form must
follow function.

Communication channel
The primary function of a ward committee is to be a formal communication channel between the community and
the council. The Local Government: Municipal Structures Act, 1998 specifies that a ward committee may make
recommendations on any matter affecting the ward to the ward councillor or through that councillor to the council
(Section 74(a)).
A ward committee is the appropriate channel through which communities can lodge their complaints and it is
obliged to forward such complaints to council in the most effective manner.
Ward committees can also be a forum for communication between the ward councillor and the ward community
about:
• general municipal issues
• development
• service options.

7
These functions are based on ward committee establishment guidelines provided by SALGA in the Local Government Law
Bulletin Vol. 3 No. 1 April 2001.
© dplg and GTZ
Roles and Responsibilities of Ward Committees
37

Chapter 4
A communication channel for the ward community
A ward committee should, in a broad sense, be a communication channel for the entire community
residing in the respective ward.

Tendencies to avoid
As ward committees are an important channel to mobilise, educate and empower
people to have their say in matters that affect them, we need to make sure that:
• the ward committee does not merely reflect and replicate the existing
arrangement of political power on the elected council
• the ward committee does not function as a communication channel for the ruling
party or for any party for that matter, as the councillor and his or her supporting
political structure already perform this function
• a ward committee does not provide a forum for the losing candidate to fight
the municipal election all over again. Minority parties have their own structures
within the system of proportional representation (PR) and are an integral part of
council.

Other functions
The Local Government: Municipal Structures Act, 1998 provides that a council may also delegate
specific municipal duties and powers to a ward committee (Section 74(b)).
The official standpoint is that ‘It is difficult to conceive what functions a ward committee should be
entrusted with’. Therefore SALGA and its legal advisors have generally advised against delegations to
ward committees.
Apart from its primary communication function, a ward committee could:
• be an important mobilising agent for community action, and
• can play an important part in mobilising partnerships for the development of local
projects.
However, the ward committee cannot prescribe to the ward councillor how to vote in council
meetings. While it may well call on the ward councillor to resign and pass motions of no confidence in
him or her, it may not impede or prevent any of the activities of the councillor in the ward.
Apart from the more generic roles and responsibilities already mentioned, a municipality can also use
by-laws to further elaborate on, create or define the roles and responsibilities of ward committees.
38 Making Ward Committees Function
Resource Book: Best Practices & Lessons Learnt

Roles and responsibilities of ward committees8

A ward committee:
(1) Will create formal unbiased communication channels and co-operative partnerships between
the municipality and the community within a ward.

(2) Will ensure contact between the municipality and community through the use of, and payment
for, services.

(3) Will create harmonious relationships between residents of a ward, the ward councillor,
geographic community and the municipality.

(4) Will facilitate public participation in the process of development, review and implementation
management of the Integrated Development Planning of the municipality.

(5) Will act as advisory body on council policies and matters affecting communities in the ward.

(6) Will serve as officially recognised and specialised participatory structures in the municipality.

(7) Will serve as a mobilising agent for community action.

(8) May receive and record complaints from the community within the ward and provide feedback
on council’s responses.

(9) May make recommendations on any matter affecting the ward to the ward councillor or the
local council, the executive committee and the mayor.

(10) May execute other functions as delegated by the municipality.

(11) Ward committee members shall participate in the stakeholder cluster forums.

(12) Ward committees shall be represented in the council’s study groups by their chairpersons.

Points for • Experiences show that the roles and responsibilities of

reflection ward committees are fairly well understood and most of the
assumed roles and responsibilities are consistent with the
policy framework for ward committees.
• Currently there is very little delegation of powers to ward
committees and this conservative approach appears to have
been heavily influenced by the Guidelines rather than a careful
scrutiny of the legislation or the lessons of practical experience.

8
Guidelines for the Establishment and Operation of Municipal Ward Committees, 2005

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Roles and Responsibilities of Ward Committees
39

Chapter 4
Points for • A key consideration for both ward committee
reflection members and municipal practitioners in deciding
on delegations to ward committees should be the
preservation of ward committee autonomy. This is
threatened where ward committees begin to take on
decentralised municipal functions like local project
management and the administration/supervision
of municipal facilities. These initiatives often entail
some form of reward or payment that can lead to
the growth of a network of patronage, rooted in the
ward councillor.

The national guidelines state that:

A ward committee may, subject to available capacity and resources, conduct an

annual satisfaction survey in order to assist the committee in the execution of
its functions and powers. The satisfaction survey should be administered in the ward by
ward committee members under the supervision of the ward councillor and with the
administrative support of the municipality.
Clearly satisfaction
Other functions surveys are a useful
feedback to council.
Not all the potential functions of ward committees are contained in local govern- What may be even
ment legislation.
more useful is for
Ward committees have important powers that come from other legislation, such
ward committees to
as, the Liquor Act 59 of 2003 for example, which requires that the ward committee
actually measure
must be consulted before a liquor license is granted to premises in a particular
(using simple
neighbourhood.
indicators) the
performance of
services against
benchmarks set in
the IDP – this plus
an indication of local
satisfaction levels,
would constitute a
valuable form of
feedback.
 40 Making Ward Committees Function
Resource Book: Best Practices & Lessons Learnt

Section 2: Managing Municipal Performance: the Role

of Ward Committees
The role of ward committees in municipal performance
management is detailed in the next chapter. However,
some preliminary observations are useful at this stage.

The Local Government: Municipal Systems Act, 2000 requires municipalities to develop a Performance Management
System (PMS).
In addition to framing its own performance indicators, this system must also address the Key Performance
Indicators set out by the Minister of Provincial and Local Government.
Apart from serving the consitutional obligation of national government to provide oversight and support to
municipalities, these reports to national government also impact on fiscal decisions and the ongoing assessment
of the current breakdown of powers and functions assigned to particular municipal categories and individual
municipalities.
The following are the SALGA guidelines in relation to measuring or identifying key performance areas of interest
groups represented within a municipal ward:

,GHQWLÀFDWLRQRINH\SHUIRUPDQFHDUHDVRIDZDUG
Because of the wide range of municipal functions and powers, many interest groups could claim
an interest in municipal matters. With a maximum of 10 members in a ward committee, one should
select from a broad range of interest groups those who would be
the most relevant to the key performance areas of the municipality
Also remember the in a particular ward. Key performance areas in a ward are those
ex-officio option. identified through the Integrated Development Planning (IDP) and
implementation process.

Basic services
In most wards, key performance areas relate to the major services that must be delivered: water,
electricity, sanitation, roads, storm-water and drainage. Other social services that are important
include health and safety and security. There is no closed list of key performance areas. Additional
areas can be identified through the IDP process.

:DUGVSHFLÀFNH\SHUIRUPDQFHDUHDV
Some key performance areas could be linked to a particular ward. For example, where a large truck
stop along a national road is situated in a particular ward, leading to a high prevalence of HIV
and AIDS in that ward, the combating of the disease would be a
It is also useful to frame key performance area for that ward. The same applies to economic
development in wards where central business districts are located. The
targets and indicators
identified key performance areas of a particular ward should thus be
for service delivery. used to identify interest groups.

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Roles and Responsibilities of Ward Committees
41

SALGA also suggests ways of distinguishing between legitimate interest groups and those that merely

Chapter 4
replicate political positions already represented in council (as discussed under ‘political influence’ in
Chapter 3).
Clearly such an exercise of ‘screening’ CSOs and assessing which are ‘civil’ and which are ‘political’
presents considerable scope for discretion and interpretation. This is further complicated by the
council itself invariably having a party political character.
The exercise below therefore needs to be undertaken with great caution, if at all:

Service or municipal-directed groups

Some civil society organisations are formed with the specific goal of ensuring
performance by a municipality in key performance areas. Such organisations include
community-based organisations (CBOs) and ratepayers’ associations. These structures
would obviously be candidates for inclusion. However, where such structures have been
political actors in the election campaign, they would already have representation in the
council, and should not be included.

Identifying specialist groups is easier and simply requires that there is some level of overlap between
the groups’ mission or focus and the key functions of the municipality:

Specialist groups
The second set of interest groups comprises organisations that focus on a particular
issue. These interests may or may not be the same as the municipal activities.
A council should thus identify those groups whose specific areas of interest relate
directly to the ward’s key performance areas. For example, where safety and security is
a key performance area, community safety forums may be appropriate interest groups.
Other interest groups may include business chambers, informal trader associations,
environmental groups, etc.
As indicated, exclusionary provisions with regard to ‘who is fit to serve on ward
committees’ need to be approached with great caution. Council and those responsible
for the ward committee system must remember that occasional interests are also
important and can easily be accommodated on ward committees by inviting them in
as special stakeholders when the relevant matter is to be discussed, or when such
groupings request the right to meet/address the ward committee.
Sections 17 and 20 of the Local Government: Municipal Systems Act, 2000 do not
apply specifically to ward committees; nonetheless, the general principle of openness
and accessibility for council and sub-committee meetings is firmly established and, by
inference, should be carried through to ward committees.
42 Making Ward Committees Function
Resource Book: Best Practices & Lessons Learnt

Rural areas
The model presented here is based on the assumption that there are well-developed, functioning
civil society structures formed around specific interests. In some rural areas this may not be the case.
Interest groups may not have been sufficiently developed for them to represent the ward community
adequately. In such a case, geographical spread of representation would be the preferred option.

Traditional leaders
The possible role of traditional leaders, as a particular interest group in a ward committee, will depend
upon the outcome of the deliberations between government and the coalition of traditional leaders.
It is suggested that traditional leaders should be considered as an interest group within a ward. A
recent survey reminds us that the influence of traditional leaders is limited to certain provinces and to
rural areas within those provinces.
The main reason for not developing relations with traditional leaders appears to be their absence,
rather than hostility between traditional authorities and ward committees. The relationship between
traditional leaders and ward committees is still evolving. Traditional leaders have legally enshrined
powers and functions that shape their relations with municipalities. The idea of negotiated
arrangements at ward level is useful, but this last point should be kept in mind.

Community Development Workers

Community Development Workers (CDWs) are multi-skilled public servants who are deployed at
community level to bridge the gap between the provision of services by government and access to
those services by the communities.
CDWs are deployed to municipalities where they live to address, amongst other things, the lack
of information, knowledge and poor communication that communities experience in relation to
government services. Municipalities are responsible for the CDW daily programme.
Role and task of the CDWs
The role and task of CDWs is to link communities with all government spheres and departments.
CDWs work as community facilitators and organisers focusing on the following key functions:
• Assisting communities with developing and articulation of their needs
• Facilitating the development of community structures
• Facilitating public participation in government development projects (e.g. IDP, LED,
infrastructure and service delivery projects etc.)
• Identification of service blockages in the community
• Finding solutions to identified needs and blockages by interacting with national, provincial and
local government structures.

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Roles and Responsibilities of Ward Committees
43

Chapter 4
What is the link between ward committees and CDWs?
In the 2004/05 National Ward Committee Survey, only 32% of respondents said there
was a link between community development workers and ward committees. However,
in the relatively new strategy for CDWs there is clearly some potential for overlapping
functions. This is a challenge for local councils as it could either result in competition or
co-operation, depending on how it is handled locally.
In more detailed training interactions, some ward committee members have indicated
a concern that community development workers duplicate their functions. In general,
however, it seems that in the limited number of areas where CDWs have been deployed,
a healthy working relationship is beginning to emerge.
The CDW job description contains a description of how they are to work with ward
committees and in some municipalities it appears that CDWs attend ward committee
meetings and offer advice.
Ward committees should endeavour to become familiar with the CDWs deployed to
their area and meet them to compare terms of reference, including whether the CDWs
are able to offer any operational/secretarial support to the ward committee.
The CDW model also suggests that CDWs may be able to resolve co-ordination
problems between various spheres of government that arise at the local level. However,
the ward committee must always ensure that the municipality is fully briefed on its
efforts to resolve such problems through CDWs.
CDWs and ward committees can build good relations by:
• CDWs supporting ward committees by assisting with the production of reports,
minutes, plans
• CDWs creating awareness of ward committee activities amongst the local
constituency and acting as referral agencies.

It is important for ward committees to meet with their local CDWs and work on
mutually beneficial terms of reference and operating systems. The municipality should
support and facilitate co-operation between CDWs and ward committees.
44 Making Ward Committees Function
Resource Book: Best Practices & Lessons Learnt

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 Ward Committees and
Council Decision-Making

Chapter 5
46 Making Ward Committees Function
Resource Book: Best Practices & Lessons Learnt

Section 1: Communication between Community, Ward

Committee and Council
The 2004/2005 National Ward Committee Survey highlighted effective communication and interaction between
the ward committee, municipal council and the community as one of the main challenges of the ward committee
system. Less than half the respondents in the survey were able to affirm that ward committees do, in fact, impact
on council decisions. For the ward committee to fulfil its core function of being a link between the municipality and
its communities, there has to be a structured way of communicating.

Illustration © EISA
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Ward Committees and Council Decision-Making
47

Chapter 5
Improving accountability between the stakeholders
The survey suggests a number of options for improving accountability between ward
committees and communities on one hand, and ward committees and councils on
the other, namely:
(a) Holding regular ward committee meetings: not all ward councillors are doing
this and this needs to become part of their own performance assessment.
(b) Ensure there is clear communication from ward committee meetings to
council. This can be done by having proper procedures and formats for tabling
reports. The system of simply returning minutes to council is inadequate.
Key points for council’s information that require a direct response or where
further process is necessary, needs to be summarised and made explicit for
the council to respond.
(c) Ensuring that there is clear communication between council and the ward
committee via the ward councillor. This can only be done if there are proper
procedures and formats in place for tabling reports. Having a checklist that
records which points and queries are resolved and which remain unresolved
will help the ward committee and the councillor keep track of what matters
still need to be attended to.
(d) Ensuring that issues raised by the ward committee are adequately dealt
with and answered by council. This requires continuity between meetings
and ensuring that important issues are only removed from the agenda once
they have been resolved. The checklist mentioned in (c) can help the ward
committee in keeping track of the outstanding matters.
(e) Being able to present council with a detailed and accurate picture of the ward
and its needs and priorities when called on to do so by council.
(f) Being able to provide council with accurate feedback on the performance of
its various line/service functions and the impact in the ward.

Circulating relevant information between stakeholders

Information dissemination, circulating relevant information to and between all the stakeholders, is
a key function of ward committees and one they are not currently performing, according to public
perception.

The challenge is two-fold:

1. Ensure adequate, relevant and reliable information is obtained from council.

Council’s own communication strategies cannot always be relied on to provide this
information and public relations procedures do not always help. We have outlined
in previous chapters the type of information that is important and how it may be
secured if it is not readily forthcoming.
48 Making Ward Committees Function
Resource Book: Best Practices & Lessons Learnt

2. Ensure that this information is effectively communicated to the community in a way that allows
effective engagement and meaningful responses.

The national survey suggested a checklist of questions to be asked when determining whether public
communication and reporting functions were truly serving accountability. Ward committees can use this checklist to
help them obtain the information they need.

The following questions can be useful

• Is the information useful to the community in making its own objective decisions around the
issue under discussion or is it mainly about promoting the image of the municipality?

• Whose interests are mainly served by the communication exercise? Is it a political party, the
mayor, the municipality as a whole, the community or a sector of the community?

• Will the information communicated allow the stakeholders to obtain a balanced view of the
issue under discussion and promote their understanding so that they are able to make a
meaningful contribution towards resolving the matter?

• If any information is to be withheld, what specific purpose is served by this step and can clear
public benefits be demonstrated by withholding such information?

• Does the interaction between the municipality and the community clearly demonstrate the
principle that both councillors and municipal staff are servants of the public and ultimately
answerable for their actions?

A recent assessment of community-based planning (CBP) models, and how these models contribute to the IDP
process, shows that there is a need for closer interaction with municipal technical line functions such as planning.

In general, support could also be provided to ward committees by strengthening the relationship between
municipal administration and the committee. By doing this, logistical and administrative assistance can be drawn
in directly from the municipal administration. This may enhance accountability and transparency in the use of
municipal resources and make ward committees and citizens in general more aware of the real technical constraints
and opportunities that must guide the decisions of managers and professionals.

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Ward Committees and Council Decision-Making
49

Ward committees are not ‘gate-keepers’ of the community

Chapter 5
While ensuring strong links with the local community, ward committees need to avoid becoming gate-
keepers, i.e. trying to become the ‘only voice’ of the local community. Previous research commissioned
for HOLOGRAM highlighted the problems associated with this type of approach.

Pitfalls: Competition between ward committees and community-

based structures

In the Thembelihle and Msundizi case-studies there is clearly a problem of competing

structures. Some are long-standing, that have, over time, facilitated community
interaction with the municipality or other organs of state on projects or programmes
whilst others are newly created and have yet to establish a relationship with the
community, municipality or other organs whom they are meant to serve. Clear lines
of responsibility are not always in place which can lead to confusion as to which
committee or structure is responsible for a specific task or tasks.

The fact is that some of these structures have a very specific focus; for example, a
water service committee suggests that it should be a specialised sub-component of
the ward committee. Some may object to this option on the basis that it diminishes
their status as a consultative body. This poses a challenge to the political maturity and
diplomacy skills of ward committees.

Ward committees must maintain their mandate as consultative bodies without

reinforcing the perception that they are ‘gate-keepers’. In this regard it is important
that the ward committee sees itself as a facilitator and not a neighbourhood-level
municipality. (We should be wary of certain trends, such as the Buffalo City Community
Liaison model which appears to cast the ward committee in the role of decentralised
administrative unit of the municipality.)

The ward committee must accept a certain level of decision-making discretion by

community-based structures. The role of these community structures may well involve
project implementation and management, whereas the ward committee is there to
facilitate and assist projects without necessarily controlling the projects.

Ward committees must show maturity and objectivity in ensuring that input and
feedback from the municipality is directed to the most appropriate forums and are
not simply acting as a clearing-house for these functions. Only where local forums are
clearly weak, divisive or otherwise ineffectual, should the ward committee consider
taking over these functions. In such instances, the ward committee must stop short
of taking on project management and implementation responsibilities, especially
where the integrity of ward committee members could be compromised due to vested
interests in the project at hand.
50 Making Ward Committees Function
Resource Book: Best Practices & Lessons Learnt

The credibility of ward committees in the eyes of the public suffers greatly when the ward committees are distanced
from key municipal functions like the IDP, or the ward committee is seen to have a narrow participation function
that is not connected to the municipality’s main activities.

Research conducted by the Horizontal Learning Network (HOLOGRAM) in 20039 noted that:

Much of the ward committee’s dilemma about their functions relates to their dislocation from what
is supposed to be the broadly endorsed blueprint for development, namely the IDP. Without a proper
understanding of the targets and indicators for development as set out in the IDP, and the ability to
disaggregate these to their own ward areas, ward committees cannot be expected to provide any
empirical or qualitative feedback on municipal delivery strategies and performance. The need to get
ward committees focused on IDP-specified outputs and strategies needs to be stressed.

A lack of any basic communication protocol between ward committees, council (and sub-committees) and the
administration was reported. As ward committees are entirely dependent on the ward councillor when linking to
council, the performance of the councillor thus becomes key.

Some ward councillors report very limited, if any, opportunity to table committee issues and concerns to council.
An exception to this trend was Ward 95 in Diepsloot, where Planact described ongoing contact and consultation
between the ward committee and regional administration of the Johannesburg Metro Council.

This suggests that ward committees may be more effective when they can relate directly to a decentralised
administrative unit of the municipality. Where political and administrative structures of the municipality are
centralised, it was apparent that some councillors experience difficulty in trying to raise ward committee matters
within council.

Feedback to and between ward committees and council

Councils need to ensure structured feedback from council to the ward committee, even to the extent of
ensuring that council minutes are circulated to ward committees.

The general impression is one of a ward committee system that has been reluctantly ‘tacked onto’ the council
system, where the business of ward committee is a matter for political oversight. In Buffalo City, for example,
informal discussion with officials indicated that although the speaker is formally responsible for ward committees,
the executive mayor has a more central role.

One of the most commonly mentioned needs from a ward committee perspective was for a ‘responsive council’
or in the case of the Naledi case study, some indication “…that their voices are heard.” Committee members
frequently pointed out that unless they were able to produce answers and information from council, they would be
rendered ‘useless’ in the eyes of the public.

9
HOLOGRAM - Horizontal Learning Network (2003): Issues and Practice in South African Local Government

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 Ward Committees and Council Decision-Making
51

Ward committees are a conduit for citizen’s participation in the decision-making process. Therefore

Chapter 5
they must strive to carry out the full mandate suggested by Section 17 of the Local Government:
Municipal Systems Act, 2000 and seek involvement in:
• the process of receiving, processing and consideration of petitions and complaints
• procedures for notifying the public of issues being considered by the council and a
process that allows for public comment
• procedures for public meetings and hearing by councillors and municipal officials
• regular sharing on information on the state of affairs of the municipality through
consultation with community organisations and traditional leaders.
Below is one possible model for effective communication and participation, developed after an
interaction with some of the municipalities.

Communication and Ward Committee Participation Model based on quarterly

meeting programme
Executive
2 Executive 4 Committee/
1 Committee/ 3 Executive Mayoral
Executive Mayoral Committee
Council Committee Portfolio
Managers Committees
Managers
Managers 3.1 6
Portfolio Forums A C
G O
1.1 E U
Office of the speaker N N
Public Participation Unit D C
A I
5 L
1.2 1.3 1.4 Party
Ward Committees Caucuses
Ward Committees Ward Committees
Consultative
Preparatory Meetings with Consolidation
Meetings General Public/ Meetings
Stakeholders
52 Making Ward Committees Function
Resource Book: Best Practices & Lessons Learnt

Interpretation of the model

1. Council managers discuss issues and come up with ‘Resolutions’ as outcomes of the council meeting
and then they inform officials in the Public Participation Unit attached to the Office of the Speaker.
1.1 Public Participation Unit in the Office of the Speaker compiles the agenda with Standardised
Official Report for Ward Committees.
1.2 The ward committees have their 1st Meeting Programmes (preparatory meetings)
where the agenda with Standardised Official Report from council is discussed to develop a
common understanding on issues before consultative meetings with the general public and
stakeholders.
1.3 Ward committees conduct their 2nd Meeting Programmes (consultative meetings) with
the general public or stakeholders on issues from council as well as any new matters affecting
the community in the ward. The Public Participation Unit assists the ward committees in the
co-ordination or publicity for these meetings.
1.4 Ward committees have their 3rd Meeting Programmes (consolidation meetings) where
reports from their general public or stakeholders meetings will be compiled and consolidated
with recommendations before submission to the Public Participation Unit for analysis.
2. The council managers receive reports from the Public Participation Unit for administrative action or
for consideration by management before submission to executive committee or executive mayoral
committee for political decisions.
3. Some issues are referred to council portfolio committees for further discussion and recommendations.
3.1 In some cases the portfolio committees further consult the key role-players and stakeholders
affected by, or relevant to, the issue for more inputs in the local portfolio forums e.g. Transport
or Electricity Forums.

4. Executive committee or executive mayoral committee receives recommendations from portfolio

committees and council management which will then inform the Council Agenda.
5. The council agenda is discussed in the party caucuses for party political positions on issues on the
agenda before council meeting.
6. The council meeting takes decisions on matters on the agenda and the council managers take the
process further under activity one to continue the cycle.

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Ward Committees and Council Decision-Making
53

Chapter 5
%HQHÀWVDQGFKDOOHQJHV7KHFRQGLWLRQVIRUWKHVXFFHVVRIWKH
model
a) The council must meet at least quarterly as provided by Section 18(2) of
the Local Government: Municipal Structures Act, 1998 to avoid congested
communication and participation processes between council and communities.
b) The council must adopt a delegation system as provided by Section 53 of the
Local Government: Municipal Systems Act 1998 to fast-track the decision-making
and implementation processes.
c) The Council must have a well-capacitated and resourced Political and
Administrative Support Centre in the Office of the Speaker to ensure effective
co-ordination.
d) Ward committees must be well-structured, capacitated and resourced so that
they can execute their meeting programmes and mandate.

Some experiences from the ground

Example: Who is responsible for your ward committee system?
In the Gemsbok municipality it is generally held that the speaker
is responsible for the ward committee system. When Victoria
Ndlovu discovers that her ward committee is not meeting to
discuss serious service shortfalls within the neighbourhood:
• Mrs Ndlovu initially approaches ward councillor Smith but he says that he is too
busy. He explains that his own accounting business and his party duties are more
important than waiting for ward committee members who arrive late, if at all, for
ward meetings.
• Mrs Ndlovu then sees the branch chairperson of the XTC party which is the
political home of councillor Smith. The chairperson promises to have a word with
Smith but says “really the operation of ward committees is the responsibility of
the corporate services directorate which is paid to provide strategic support to
the ward committee system and community participation in general”.
• The director of corporate services says her department provides limited support
to ward committees within the constraints of the budget, but that in any case it
sounds like a political problem which the speaker needs to resolve.
54 Making Ward Committees Function
Resource Book: Best Practices & Lessons Learnt

• The speaker acknowledges that she is formally responsible for the ward committee system but
says that the real decisions are made by the executive mayor who insists that anything political
related to ward committees be passed by him.
• Mrs Ndlovu tries to secure a meeting with the executive mayor but his secretary tells her “Why
did you not resolve this petty issue with your councillor… this municipality has 90 wards and
the mayor cannot be expected to bother himself with one slack ward councillor?”

Could this be your municipality?

© dplg and GTZ

Ward Committees and the
Core Business of the
Municipality

Chapter 6
56 Making Ward Committees Function
Resource Book: Best Practices & Lessons Learnt

Section 1: Integrated Development Planning

Section 16 (1) (a) of the Local Government Municipal: Systems Act, 2000 states that:

A municipality must develop a culture of municipal governance that complements formal

representative government with a system of participatory democracy. To this end the municipality
must encourage and create conditions for the local community to participate in the affairs of the
municipality.

Chapter 5 of the Act requires specifically that citizens participate in the preparation, implementation and review of
the Integrated Development Plan (IDP).

Integrated Development Planning is a process through which municipalities prepare a strategic development
plan which extends over a five year period. It is a broad plan for an area that gives an overall framework
for development. It is a planning process and instrument which guides and informs planning, budgeting,
management and decision-making processes in a municipality.

Integrated
Fitted together, with parts united into a whole

Development
Progress and long-term growth

Planning
Designing and preparing for the future

In essence, the White Paper on Local Government visualises a process where communities will be involved in
governance matters, including planning, implementation and performance monitoring and review. Communities
would be empowered to identify their needs, set performance indicators and targets and thereby hold
municipalities accountable for their performance in service delivery.

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Ward Committees and the Core Business of the Municipality
57

Through the IDP process, the ward committees can become involved in:

Chapter 6
• identifying its key development priorities

• formulating appropriate strategies

• developing the appropriate systems to realise the vision and mission of municipalities

• aligning resources with the development priorities.

Section 15 of the Municipal Planning and Performance Management Regulations further states that:

.... where other municipal-wide structures for community participation do not exist, a
municipality must establish a forum. The forum must be representative and enhance
community participation in the IDP. In addition, it must enhance public participation in
monitoring, measuring and reviewing municipal performance.

The functions of the forum include:

• consultation and monitoring of the IDP and its implementation and review
• discussion of the PMS and its implementation and review
• monitoring of municipal performance according to the KPIs and targets set by
the municipality.

This has led to the creation of IDP Representative Forums for general public participation. Ward
committee members should also take the initiative to attend IDP portfolio committee hearings and
ordinary sittings of the relevant sub-committee.
The integration of ward committees as an institutionalised structure into the IDP process has, in many
cases, been an imperfect exercise and ward committees tend to become involved as members of
the public at large, with the result that the local consultative and decentralisation potential of ward
committees is not fully explored.
58 Making Ward Committees Function
Resource Book: Best Practices & Lessons Learnt

Section 2: Community-based Planning

dplg and SALGA have piloted community-based planning (CBP) which presents some concrete opportunities for
entrenching and detailing the role of ward committees in the IDP process.

Community-based planning aims to:

• empower the community to plan for itself
• help local government and the municipality to understand and address service needs of the
citizens
• help the municipality to be responsive to the community.

The objectives of CBP are to:

• improve the quality of plans
• improve the quality of services
• improve the community’s control over development
• increase community action and reduce dependency.

The CBP model outlines a specific role for ward committees in the needs analysis and participatory review
procedures of the IDP.

Ward plans should include:

• specific targets for service delivery and infrastructure development which can be monitored
through properly defined ward indicators
• reporting systems to council and line departments should accommodate periodic feedback
guided by these ward indicator reports
• the presentation of the Annual Report to council should make special provision for a summary
report on ward committee feedback.

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Ward Committees and the Core Business of the Municipality
59

Section 3: The Municipal Budgeting Process

Chapter 6
Similar to the IDP portfolio committee meetings, municipal budget hearings also offer ward
committees participation as any other sector within civil society. Other examples of ward committee
engagement with budgeting include:
• budget hearings per ward with specific feedback on ward submissions
• outreach to ward committees by joint mayoral and finance committee teams.
(Also compare Chapter 2, Section 2 on the legal requirements of the MFMA.)

Section 4: The Performance Management/

Service Delivery Process
Ward committees and residents have very important roles to play in the planning and delivery of
municipal services.

Some of the ways in which they play a part:

• assisting the municipality to accurately decide on which services should be
expanded and improved, particularly during the planning stages, and insisting
that council consults citizens during the decision-making process.
• residents should work with NGOs, CBOs and political parties to develop
proposals for council to consider.
• communities can also request the municipality to appoint a committee of
community representatives to monitor processes as well as to advise the
municipality on priorities for service extension and improvement.
• communities or their representatives can also play some role in the evaluation of
potential service providers, the involvement of communities in service provision
and monitoring of the service providers.

It is important in these functions that ward committees do not blur their ‘watchdog’ role with that of
a local ‘project manager’ as this can lead to a weakening of checks and balances.
A key consideration for both ward committee members and municipal practitioners, when deciding
on who should be part of the delegation to ward committees, should be the preservation of ward
committee autonomy. This is threatened where ward committees begin to take on decentralised
municipal functions like local project management and the administration/supervision of municipal
facilities.
 60 Making Ward Committees Function
Resource Book: Best Practices & Lessons Learnt

As already highlighted above, where ward committees exist

as the principle form of community participation, there is an
obligation on the municipality to involve these committees
in the setting of key performance indicators and targets and
the monitoring thereof.

Ward committees can play a key part in performance management in three stages:
• Planning: Work closely with your councillor and other community
organisations, to identify priority needs and make sure that these
needs are included in the budget proposals and plans.
Three stages of
• Follow-up and feedback: Insist on regular reports on municipal
performance projects and services to the ward committee and at public
management meetings in your ward so that you keep residents informed of
Planning progress and/or problems. Make constructive suggestions for
improvement and, if necessary, organise the community to help
Follow-up get the job done.
Yearly performance • Yearly performance reviews: Council should report regularly to
reviews the ward committees and communities on their budget and
performance reviews, as part of community meetings. In addition,
if your committee does not get a regular performance report
from your council, let the mayor know that your ward committee
expects better performance from democratic local government.

Monitoring and evaluation

Through NGO or other programmes, develop and operate monitoring and evaluation systems within the ward and
prepare for input into the annual performance management review.
By drawing key indicators from its IDP document, particularly service output indicators, the municipality must show
that it has addressed the Section 7 (2) (d) requirement that the PMS

clarifies the processes of implementing the system within the framework of the integrated
development planning process.
An award-based monitoring and evaluation instrument should allow targets to be set in a consensual way so
that indicators and the target for each indicator are clear to everyone from the beginning, including municipal
practitioners and local citizens.
These targets will be derived from the IDP and reflect typical municipal functions and obligations contained in
legislation and requirements relating to IDPs. For example, Chapter 2 of the Municipal Planning and Performance
Management Regulations of 2001 set out the minimum details for an IDP and the process for amending IDPs. The
instrument is thus an integral part of the IDP implementation system and assists in fulfilling the procedures for
management, monitoring and evaluation.

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Ward Committees and the Core Business of the Municipality
61

Chapter 6
Example
If the strategic objective in a municipal IDP is to “improve the environmental and health
situation of the community through an improved and expanded solid waste management
system” then the indicator might be the level and coverage of the refuse service to be
provided. The target for such an indicator might therefore read: “By December 2006
to provide 80% of households with a once-a-week refuse collection service where the
refuse is collected from the pavement outside each dwelling.”
This indicator has the following important attributes:
1. It has a target date for reaching the required service level.
2. It specifies the scale or coverage of the service in a realistic way viz. 80% of
households (note that it is important to know where you started – this is referred
to as the baseline). In this case perhaps 60% of households had the required
level of service).
3. It specifies the quality of the service (regular weekly collection from the
pavement outside each dwelling).
62 Making Ward Committees Function
Resource Book: Best Practices & Lessons Learnt

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 7HUPRI2I¹FH
Termination of Membership
and Dissolution of Ward
Committees

Chapter 7
64 Making Ward Committees Function
Resource Book: Best Practices & Lessons Learnt

6HFWLRQ 7HUPRI2IÀFHIRU:DUG&RPPLWWHH0HPEHUV
The Local Government: Municipal Structures Act, 1998 allows municipalities to determine the term of office for
ward committees. From the 2004/05 national ward committee survey it would seem that the most common term
of office for ward committee members is between two and two and a half years. The next preferred term of office
is five years. More in-depth interaction and discussion with ward committees suggests that the following should be
considered:
• How long it takes for newly-elected ward committee members to become fully effective in their role.
• The time required to effectively complete programmes and campaigns initiated at ward level.
• Limiting the financial and logistical costs to municipalities by ensuring there is a proper interval
between ward committee elections.
• Ensuring that ward committee members do not become stale or complacent through overly long
service.
• Ensuring that the election routine is sufficiently frequent to deal with problems of poor performance
by ward committee members.

Points for There would seem to be sound argument for keeping the term
reflection of office a discretionary matter, thus allowing municipalities
to try different approaches. The emergence of a particularly
useful practice may yet take a few more years.

Section 2: Termination of Membership by a Ward

Committee Member and Filling of
Vacancies10
If a vacancy occurs in a ward committee as a result of the termination of membership, the Local Government:
Municipal Structures Act, 1998 leaves it up to the municipality to determine a procedure to fill the vacancy. The
municipality must decide on possible scenarios under which ward committee members would be relieved of their
duties. This could also be covered under the code of conduct for ward committees.
Generally a person’s membership is terminated through death or resignation. Even though the council may make
rules regulating the circumstances under which persons may have to renounce their membership, an issue still to be
resolved is whether an interest group can terminate the membership of its elected representative. A complication
may arise where the representative is from an interest group and that group cannot, without consultation,
withdraw the elected person from the committee.

10
Due acknowledgement is given to Jaap de Visser of the Local Government Project of the Community Law Centre for the
section on the dissolution of ward committees.

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7HUPRI2IÀFH7HUPLQDWLRQRI0HPEHUVKLSDQG'LVVROXWLRQRI:DUG&RPPLWWHHV
65

Section 3: Conditions for the Dissolution of Ward

Chapter 7
Committees
The Local Government: Municipal Structures Act, 1998 grants wide discretion in regard to the
dissolution of ward committees. The Act only notes that a municipality has a right to dissolve a ward
committee if it fails to fulfil its objective.
For most municipalities, conditions that would necessitate the dissolution of a ward committee are
contained in their establishment notices for ward committees as well as the code of conduct.
Where ward committees have been dissolved it has generally been for reasons of inefficiency; inability
to fulfil its mandate and obligations, and sometimes political party interference in the structures of
ward committees.
66 Making Ward Committees Function
Resource Book: Best Practices & Lessons Learnt

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Training and Capacity-Building
for Ward Committees

Chapter 8
68 Making Ward Committees Function
Resource Book: Best Practices & Lessons Learnt

A critical evaluation of current training and capacity-building for ward

committees
Most of the training directed to ward committees is in the form of formal training by government or government
appointed service providers. Little capacitation happens through in-service training/briefings. Despite the
considerable resources dedicated by government to this objective, some partnerships with international donors and
NGOs, and lucrative training contracts for private sector providers, the impact of this training has been mixed. Only
50% of the National Ward Committee Survey respondents thought it was effective. In general, the reason given
relates to the lack of continuity of the capacitation process.
Training strategies have often been conventional. The main strategy has been event-centred initiatives with little
recognition of the unique nature of ward committees as fragile voluntary bodies who are still in the process of
exploring and building upon this new and uniquely structured model of participatory democracy. Capacity-building
has seldom encompassed strategies of practice and reflection or doing and learning, sometimes known as praxis.
Effective training needs to be interactive and participatory to achieve the maximum output.
The above observations are important when embarking on training initiatives. Ward committees were established
nearly four years ago and it is crucial that the experience of longer serving ward committee members is carried
over into capacity-building strategies. Municipalities should also conduct a careful and participatory review of
ward committee experiences and local knowledge bases before planning any further ward committee training and
capacity-building programmes.

Approach to ward committee training

The legislation for local government obliges municipalities to provide support to the ward committees and to build
their capacity. However, the form of this support and the institutional and financial investment is at the discretion of
the municipality.
The National Ward Committee Guidelines identify the following capacity-building and training
needs:

Generic training needs

• Basic literacy
• Communication
• Interpersonal skills
• Conflict management and negotiation skills
• Democracy and community participation
• Identification, monitoring and prioritisation of needs, including basic training in survey methodology
• Leadership

Training needs on municipal policies and processes

• The establishment, terms of reference, nature and functions of ward committees
• Municipal structures, legislation & processes
• Municipal Service Partnerships
• Payment for services
• Principles of good governance

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Training and Capacity Building for Ward Committees
69

Specialised training needs

Chapter 8
• Meeting procedures and secretariat services
• Administration
• Budgeting
• Monitoring and evaluation
• Project management
• Performance management

Ward committee member training

Ward committees supported by the municipality are expected to annually assess their capacity-
building and training needs and to develop programmes for each member of the committee with an
appropriate budget. Given their voluntary nature and the varying levels of expertise and skill of ward
committee members it is not surprising that ward committees seldom comply with this requirement.
Training needs, in most cases, are determined by councillors and municipal officials.
Ward committee training needs vary from municipality to municipality. Some successful examples of
capacity and training approaches emphasise the importance of building upon past experiences and
gains in capacity. This can be accomplished by working with beneficiaries in an interactive manner
and focusing them on the key development challenges and issues that are identified by both internal
stakeholders and external service providers.
It should be ensured that ward committees have a structured and focused approach in determining
their own training needs and priorities. They should be encouraged to confront problems and issues
that are frequently concealed in the more list-driven approach.
The GTZ-supported Strengthening Local Governance Programme’s training approach consisted of the
following steps:

Step 1: A desktop review of reports of ward committee

capacitation needs within a municipality
The main purpose of the review is to outline experiences and lessons, audit success
or failure in resolving previously identified capacity shortfalls, and create a general
background and framework for identifying new needs. Based on these and the
facilitator’s knowledge of broader challenges that typically confront ward committees, a
list of training priorities is then created.
Step 2: A focus group exercise
A focus group exercise is then conducted to present the draft list of training priorities
to a variety of stakeholders including ward committees, ward councillors, the speaker of
council, the manager for community services and the municipal manager. This exercise is
aimed at verifying needs and ensuring that different constituencies have input.

Step 3: A review and adjustment of training objectives

Comprises a review and adjustment of the list of training objectives based on the focus
group input. This is followed by preparation of the final presentation and resource
materials.
70 Making Ward Committees Function
Resource Book: Best Practices & Lessons Learnt

Training methodology
Preparations for the training workshops commence with matching available resource materials to training needs,
and designing new resources where required. Careful consideration is given to the appropriate format for a
particular presentation and games and activities that will ensure full engagement of the participants. A facilitator’s
or trainer’s guide, which consists of topics, learning goals, activities and expected outcomes is also developed.
Training workshops are generally designed to be as participatory as possible. They normally include group
discussions, ward committee presentations, role-plays and case studies. Once all the preparations are complete,
the stakeholders are again consulted on the programme for the training workshop and the final list of training
priorities.
This process is followed by the actual implementation of the training workshop. Municipal officials and/or senior
councillors are usually present in the training in order to act as Trainers of Trainers in future capacity-building
activities. They also serve as resource persons during the training.

General training components

Ward committee capacity-building and training generally encompasses the following topics:
• Roles, responsibilities and functions of ward committees
• Effective communication between ward committees and broader community
• Matters related to the establishment and operation of ward committees
• Integrated development planning and review thereof
• Related to the above, municipal budgeting and citizen participation in the budgeting cycle
• Municipal Performance Management Systems
• Ensuring adequate community participation in all municipal functions and processes. This includes an
overview of the National Guidelines for Ward Committees
• Other legislative provisions that relate to community participation in municipal governance, including
the recently enacted Local Government: Municipal Finance Management Act, 2003.

Valuable training components

Based on past experience, some aspects of the training generated more interest and enthusiasm than other
components of the programme. These tended to be areas in which it was found that the municipality needed
to improve its performance in order to facilitate optimum participation by ward committees, and included the
following:
• Roles, functions, establishment and operation of ward committees
• Ward committees generally tended to be uncertain about the statutory requirements, although
their practical understanding was good. An outline of basic legal and policy provisions is
normally useful. It is also important to assess how ward committees have measured up to such
provisions.

In Emalahleni local municipality most ward committees demonstrated a good understanding of their
roles and functions but they were unclear about their powers and the legislative basis thereof.

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Training and Capacity Building for Ward Committees
71

• Integrated development planning and review thereof

Chapter 8
• Ward committees tended to be aware of the IDP and the process of developing
it. However the role ward committees have played in reviewing the IDP has
mostly been in regard to the identification of community needs. It is vital,
therefore, to clearly outline the role ward committees should play when
reviewing the IDP, even before the review process commences, so that ward
committees are objectively able to assess the extent of their engagement.

For example, in Emalahleni local municipality all the ward committees reported that
they had limited participation in the IDP review and budgeting process. They were
generally not aware of what was contained in their municipal IDP. After the training,
they indicated a renewed commitment to actively participate in the IDP review and
budgeting process.
• Municipal budgeting and citizen participation in the budgeting process
• A common practice is for ward committees simply to be consulted on the draft.
This means that they usually have very little input or influence in terms of
resource allocation.

In Mbhashe local municipality, for instance, the majority of ward committee members
stated that the only time they heard of the municipal budget was at a meeting where
the mayor presented the draft budget. However, they said that they did not participate
in any deliberations on the budget as they were just observers.
• Other challenges associated with the municipal budget relate to the difficulty
in understanding a technical document, particularly for people who are not
financially literate. Outlining the role to be played by ward committees in the
budget cycle is useful, but municipalities could also assist by simplifying their
budget formats.
• Municipal Performance Management Systems
• Even though most of the small local municipalities have not yet developed
fully-fledged performance management systems, ward committees find the idea
of participating in municipal performance assessments very appealing. A user-
friendly Key Performance Indicators matrix has been developed to empower
ward committees to assess municipal performance at the ward level and
provide structured feedback to the municipalities. Giving ward committees the
opportunity to have a meaningful role in municipal performance assessment also
gives them a sense of purpose.

Mbhashe local municipality is currently at an early stage in developing a performance

management system, and their ward committees demonstrated great interest in the
PMS when it was presented and their role in it was outlined.
The examples above are some of the insights generated by training. A series of workshops typically
concludes with presenting a review report to the stakeholders and other support agencies. These
wrap-up sessions include recommendations for after-care and follow-up activities and a mentoring
system to sustain the capacity enhancement process.
72 Making Ward Committees Function
Resource Book: Best Practices & Lessons Learnt

Most of these training areas have since been reinforced by ward committees in subsequent training encounters.

Training of Trainers at district level

To sustain the knowledge and capacity needed for well-functioning ward committees, a training-of-trainers ap-
proach has been conducted in a number of municipalities. The district can play a strong role in facilitating train-the-
trainer workshops involving all local municipalities falling under its jurisdiction.

Experiences from the Eastern Cape

The Training of Trainers (ToT) aims at capacitating two dedicated representatives of each of the local municipalities
falling under the jurisdiction of the district and two representatives of the district. These representatives will have to
be identified in close co-operation with the local municipalities and the district, based on identified criteria. The ToT
should draw on important lessons and experiences gained during the previous ward committee trainings conducted
within the district.
The first phase of training should focus on important components of facilitation and training skills.

The aim of this workshop will be to:

1. develop participants as facilitators or trainers so that they will be able to train in their selected field
2. develop awareness and understanding about what it is that a trainer/facilitator is undertaking with a
group in a workshop situation
3. explore theoretical bases for participatory models of education and development
4. explore the attributes, qualities and skills required for an effective trainer/facilitator
5. develop skills to deal with problem situations.
The second phase of the process will focus on content issues concerning local governance and ward committees.
It should focus on the following:
1. current system of local government
2. roles, functions and responsibilities of ward committees within the current policy, legislative and
municipal operating environment
3. establishment and operation of ward committees
4. meeting and record keeping procedures
5. core municipal functions ward committees need to engage with
6. the Integrated Development Planning and Implementation Process (IDP)
7. municipal finance and budgeting (relevant Sections 15 and 16 of the Local Government: Municipal
Finance Management Act, 2003)
8. municipal performance management system (PMS);
9. communication strategies to properly communicate and channel information to their constituencies
10. role of Community Development Workers
11. additional demands raised by participants.

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Training and Capacity Building for Ward Committees
73

The third phase of the process will focus on the mentoring and assessment of the newly trained

Chapter 8
facilitators. This will take the form of the facilitators organising a ward committee skills workshop in
which they will have to conduct the training. They will be assessed by the service provider during the
workshop and written feedback will be provided on their performance.
74 Making Ward Committees Function
Resource Book: Best Practices & Lessons Learnt

Checklist of key documents relevant for participatory local governance and the ward
committee system
The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 (Chapter 7 Section 152)
The Batho Pele White Paper, 1997
The White Paper on Local Government, 1998
The Local Government: Municipal Structures Act, 1998 (Sections 73 and 74)
The Local Government: Municipal Systems Act, 2000 (Chapter 4)
The Promotion of Access to Information Act, 2000
The Municipal Planning and Performance Management Regulations, 2001
The Local Government: Municipal Finance Management Act, 2003
The Guidelines for the Establishment and Operation of Municipal Ward Committees as gazetted 24
June 2005
Having your say: A Handbook for Ward Committees (dplg and GTZ 2005)
Your municipality’s Integrated Development Plan
Your municipality’s ward committee policy and public participation policy (if there is one).

© dplg and GTZ

Glossary
75

Glossary
Glossary
'HÀQLWLRQRINH\FRQFHSWV
Accountability Councillor
The responsibility that elected representatives An elected representative on a local council.
have to keep their promises to voters to be
honest and open about political and financial Decentralisation
actions and keep in touch with their constituents. A transfer of political, financial and administrative
power from central/national government to sub-
Area of jurisdiction national or provincial and local governments.
The area within which a local authority has
governing powers and responsibilities. Departments
The units of administration of the local authority
Budget which perform specific functions, for example,
The local authority’s financial plan of action. water, health and town planning.
There is an annual plan of action, but increasingly
multi-year budgets are also drafted to provide a Electorate
longer term financial plan. The voters.

Bureaucracy Equitable Share Transfer

The officials of government departments at the The equitable share allocations formula was
central, provincial and local levels. first introduced in 1998 in line with section 214
of the Constitution to enable the local sphere
By -laws of government to provide basic services and to
Regulations made by a local authority. perform functions assigned to it. The primary
purposes of the equitable share are to enable
Consensus municipalities to provide basic services to low-
General agreement among a group of decision- income households and maintain administrations.
makers.
Ethics
Constituency/constituents Principles of morally correct and honourable
The voters (constituents) in the specified area conduct.
(constituency) who elect a councillor to represent
them on the council. Integrated Development Planning and
Implementation
Constitution A process through which the municipality
The most important law of the country that lays
prepares a strategic development plan, for a five
down the functions and powers of the different
year period. The Integrated Development Plan
levels of government. It includes the Bill of Rights
(IDP) is a product of the integrated development
that outlines the fundamental rights of citizens.
planning process. It spells out what the council
Council is going to do, how it is going to do it and the
A group of people elected by voters at the local cost in response to the needs of the community.
level to be the political decision-makers of a local The IDP is the principal strategic planning
authority. instrument which guides and informs planning,
budgeting, management and decision-making in
a municipality.
76 Making Ward Committees Function
Resource Book: Best Practices & Lessons Learnt

Key Performance Indicators Simple majority

Specific or agreed upon areas or criteria used to A majority of more than 50% of the councillors present
measure the performance of a municipality, for exam at a meeting, providing that they form a quorum.
ple, service delivery, crime prevention.

Local authority Standing committees

A structure that is responsible for local government in Committees of the council which focus on a specific
a specific local area. It consists of officials who serve issue such as housing, economic development, service
the public under the political leadership of an elected delivery and infrastructure.
council and the elected councillors.
Subsidies
Mandate Money given by central or provincial levels of
Collective authority or permission given to an individual government to local authorities so that the local
or group of individuals to act on behalf of others. authority can make certain services more affordable to
the public.
Municipality
Another name for a primary local authority. Survey
A mechanism (in the form of questionnaires or
2IÀFLDO   interviews) aimed at studying certain trends in a society
Civil servants employed by a local authority, as opposed that will later be used for certain types of interventions.
to elected councillors.
Sustainable local government
Party caucus Local government that can sustain itself financially by
A forum consisting of all the members of a particular collecting enough money to cover its expenses.
party who are serving in a political structure, such as a
local council. Tender
An offer in writing by a company or any individual
Party line to work or supply goods at a fixed price to the
The policy adopted by a political party on a specific municipality. The tender will also say what is needed
issue. and how the application should be made.
Private sector Transparency
Business and other organisations that are not part of Openness and honesty in governmental decision-
the government. making and financial management whereby the public
Proportional representation (that is, the citizens and community) can know how
A voting system where parties are given a number of their elected representatives are governing on their
seats on the basis of the number of voters obtained by behalf.
each party.
Ward
Quorum A smaller unit of a local authority (like a neighbou
The number of members that must be present to
rhood, or suburb) which can elect a councillor or
take a decision at a meeting. It is usually based on a
councillors to represent residents of the respective ward
percentage of the total number of councillors.
on the local authority/ municipal council.

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Making Ward Committees Function
Resource Book: Best Practices & Lessons Learnt
 Enquiries
Communication Directorate
Department: Private Bag X804, Pretoria 0001
Provincial and Local Government Tel: +27 12 334 0600
REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA Fax: +27 12 334 0813
Your partner in service delivery and development
e-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.dplg.gov.za