Geordin Hill-Lewis: Mayors must resist overreach by national authorities

Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis said South Africa’s mayors should resist attempts at over-control by national government.

Hill-Lewis made the remarks after mayors from the country’s eight metropolitan municipalities met in Cape Town this week.

The meeting, hosted by the South African Local Government Association (SALGA), was the first of its kind in South Africa.

SALGA president Bheke Stofile said one of the most worrying issues raised at the landmark gathering was the breakdown in intergovernmental relations.

“… and in the current administration because of the attitude that exists in other spheres of government about local government,” Stofile said.

Hill-Lewis stressed that it is important for metropolitan municipalities to understand that they are not merely local branches of a national head office.

“The Constitution imbues local government with independent powers and functions, and we should be more willing to assert these and resist attempts at over-control,” Hill-Lewis said.

The mayors also agreed to meet quarterly to ensure a collective approach to addressing challenges.