Regional & Local Government

South Africa has nine distinct provinces. There are about 284 municipalities, the most significant being the six metropolitan municipalities which have exclusive executive and legislative authority, namely Cape Town, Durban, East Rand, Johannesburg, Pretoria and Port Elizabeth. Provincial and local governments are recognised in the constitutional framework that supports them as interdependent and interrelated arms of the government.  This recognition has significantly enhanced the status of local government as a key instrument of delivery. The governing principle of co-operative government places the onus on provincial governments to support and strengthen municipalities to manage their own affairs. The South African Local Government Association (SALGA) is constitutionally mandated by the constitution to assist with this task. SALGA is also an active member of the United Cities and Local Governments of Africa (UCLGA), the association that attempts to provide a unified voice to local governments on the continent.