PODCAST | Cholera crisis: what to do with non-performing local government?

The cholera outbreak in Tshwane has again put the spotlight on the crisis in local government negatively impacting service delivery to citizens.

Local government is often regarded as the coalface at which the state delivers citizens’ basic needs. But what is their recourse when it fails to do so, as is the case in much of the country? 

To explore the matter, we are joined on Sunday Times Politics Weekly by Dr Sithembile Mbete, a lecturer in the department of political sciences at the University of Pretoria and an associate fellow at its Centre for Governance Innovation, and Sandile Swana, a political analyst and governance expert.

Listen to the insightful discussion:

Among the arguments, Swana says we are dealing with an HR problem as the most cruel and dark-hearted people are appointed and perfomance is never a consideration to government. The highest level of leadership is using a very dark science arranging for continuous failure, he says.

Mbete says there is no consequence management and no one is held accountable for their failure in many government institutions, instead they are rewarded for their failures. "The kinds of consequences that people ordinary face in employment don't seem to be applying to politicians and civil servants that are meant to be delivering services."

Other points discussed in the conversation include: political recourse for citizens, recalling politicians, construction of our government system and the use of private contractors in government. 

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The podcast is hosted by Sunday Times deputy editor Mike Siluma and produced by Bulelani Nonyukela.

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