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Categories of municipalities
The Constitution provides for three categories of municipalities.
As directed by the Constitution, the Local
Government: Municipal Structures Act, 1998 [PDF] (Act 117 of 1998), contains criteria for
determining when an area must have a category-A municipality (metropolitan
municipalities) and when municipalities fall into categories B (local
municipalities) or C (district municipalities). The Act also determines
that category-A municipalities can only be established in metropolitan areas.
Metropolitan councils have single metropolitan budgets, common property rating
and service-tariff systems, and single employer bodies.
South Africa has nine
metropolitan municipalities, namely:
Metropolitan councils may decentralise powers and functions.
However, all
original municipal, legislative and executive powers are vested in the metropolitan
council.
In metropolitan areas there is a choice of two types of executive systems: the
mayoral executive system where executive authority is vested in the mayor, and
the collective executive committee where these powers are vested in the
executive committee.
Non-metropolitan areas consist of district councils and local councils.
District
councils are primarily responsible for capacity-building and district-wide
planning.
The Local Government: Municipal Structures Act,
1998 provides for ward committees whose tasks,
among other things, are to:
- prepare, implement and review integrated development plans (IDPs)
- establish, implement and review municipalities' performance-management system
- monitor and review municipalities’ performances
- prepare municipalities' budgets
- participate in decisions about the provision of municipal services
- communicate and disseminate information on governance matters.
Municipal Demarcation Board
The board is a constitutional institution established
by the Local Government: Municipal Demarcation
Act, 1998.
The main function of the board is to determine
municipal boundaries in accordance with the Act
and other related legislation, and to advise on
demarcation matters.
In addition, the board is tasked with delimiting
wards into metropolitan and local municipalities.
Source: South Africa Yearbook 2007/08
Editor: D Burger. Government Communication and Information System
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Last modified: 10 April 2008 13:40:17. |
