The Alternative Information & Development Centre (AIDC) submitted a comment to the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs’ Discussion Document on the review of the White Paper on Local Government (WPLG). In this submission, the AIDC stressed the urgent need to reassess the local government fiscal framework due to widespread financial distress, failures in service delivery, and systemic challenges faced by municipalities.
While the Discussion Document calls for an honest review of local government performance, covering governance, infrastructure, and financial issues, it fails to address root causes, focusing instead on symptoms and quick fixes. The AIDC argues that structural and systemic issues must be confronted, including the flawed assumptions behind the fiscal framework. Please read our full submission below.
