Organisation: South African Local Government Association (SALGA)

Consolidating local government – “Transformation towards a better life for all"

The South African Local Government Association (SALGA) is an organization mandated by the new South African Constitution to assist in the wholesale transformation of local government in South Africa from the pre-1994 regime to the new dispensation under the country's first democratically elected government.

The Constitution envisages an important role for organized local government in the new South Africa, with a unique focus on developmental service delivery. As such, SALGA plays a core role in a variety of areas related to local government transformation and as a national representative of the local government sector and its employees.

The new SALGA strategy responds to the challenges facing organised local government, addresses past weaknesses and drives forward the process of consolidating the transformation process of local government.

Vision

An association of municipalities that is at the cutting edge of quality and sustainable services.

Mission

To be "consultative, informed, mandated, credible and accountable to our membership, and provide value for money".

Values

Responsive, innovative, dynamic and excellence.

SALGA's Role

In line with its constitutionally defined mandate, SALGA set out its role as follows:

• Represent, promote and protect the interests of local government.
• Transform local government to enable it to fulfil its developmental role.
• Enhance the role of provincial local government associations as provincial representatives and consultative bodies on local government.
• Raise the profile of local government.
• Be recognized by national and provincial governments to be the national representative of local government and consultative body in respect of all matters concerning local government.
• Ensure full participation of women in local government.
• Act as the National Employers' Organization for the municipal and provincial member employers.
• Regulate the relationship between the members and the employers within the meaning of section 213 of the Labour Relations Act, No. 66 of 1995.
• Provide legal assistance to its member in its discretion in connection with matters, which affect employee relations.

SALGA's Mandate

Section 163 of the Constitution envisages an important role for organised local government and provides that an Act of Parliament must cater for the recognition of national and provincial organisations representing municipalities, and determine procedures by which local government may consult the national and provincial government, designate representatives to participate in the National Council of Province (NCOP) and nominate persons to the Financial and Fiscal Commission (FFC).

The Organised Local Government Act of 1998 recognises SALGA and the nine provincial local government associations (PLGAs) as representatives of organised local government. The Act allows organised local government to designate up to 10 part-time representatives to the NCOP in the national Parliament, and to further nominate two persons to the FCC, which advises the Finance Ministry on budget issues. They participate in intergovernmental structures and are therefore able to influence national and provincial legislation and to gauge the impact of such legislation on local government.

Constitutional Framework for Local Government

The Constitution provides that in the Republic, government is broadly constituted as national, provincial and local government, which are distinctive, interdependent and interrelated.
The recognition of local government in the Constitution as a sphere of government has significantly enhanced the status of local government as a whole and has given it a new dynamic role. It is this sphere of government that is seen as the key instrument of delivery

Contact details for Economic Development and Planning in SALGA's Provincial Offices:

SALGA National Office, Pretoria: +27 (012) 369 8000