An analysis of the expanded mandate of local government under Covid-19

Abstract

The Constitution places municipalities at the forefront of service delivery in South Africa. This can be discovered from a perusal of section 152(1)(b) of the Constitution, which provides that one of the objects of local government is to ensure the provision of services to communities in a sustainable manner.1 The Constitution further envisages local government as a driver of development at the local level. This is evident when reading section 153(a) of the Constitution, which states that, over and above the prioritisation of the basic needs of communities, municipalities must promote social and economic development of the community.