What is the bill focusing on?    

The Municipal Structures Amendment Bill was out for public comment. The original deadline was July 5 but it was extended twice, first to 30 July and then 31 August. 

Key matters raised by the amendment include:

• Minimum vote threshold: The bill introduces a minimum 1% vote threshold for  parties to secure council seats, intended to reduce fragmentation and promote stable governance.
• Secret ballot removal: The amendment proposes replacing secret ballots with votes by show of hands for electing and removing municipal office-bearers, aiming to increase transparency but raising concerns about potential coercion and loss of voting independence.
• Coalition agreements: The bill mandates written coalition agreements in municipalities without an outright majority, aiming to prevent manipulation by smaller parties and ensure clearer, more stable governance structures.
• Office-bearer stability: It limits the frequency of no-confidence votes and introduces a two-year “cooling off period” to reduce instability caused by frequent changes in leadership.

Why must I be concerned? 

The bill claims the changes will enhance clarity, transparency, stability, accountability, and conflict resolution in governance.

However CAN, an initiative of the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA), has read through the amendments and has identified several primary challenges namely:

1. Political overreach into local government affairs from a ministerial level in national government.
2. Politcal overeach into local government affairs from a ministerial level in provincial government.
3. Excessive restrictions on the right to bring forward motions of no confidence against office bearers such as the mayor, deputy mayor or speaker.
4. Removal of the secret ballot option as a voting mechanism.