Citizens must be educated on local govt before polls: Salga

The South African Local Government Association (Salga) has suggested that the public be made aware of local government systems and politics before voting in the next elections.

Salga has warned that the country is facing a coalition crisis, saying voters are being disadvantaged after democratically choosing their municipal leaders.

The association’s president, Bheke Stofile, addressed the debate on the State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Wednesday.

He says some coalitions ensure that political and financial interests take precedence over societal needs.

“Politics and political parties are formed by political interests and those go with certain financial interests. They are not divorced from it. It is important to know the politics of the country and knowing the status of our municipal system. Where we are seated in local government? This problem is not going to dissipate. The losers in the bigger scheme of things are going to be voters. That is why I was making an example yesterday of the political parties sitting at the top table sharing the cake, and committees must eat grass.”

Coalition crisis

Stofile has also warned that the country is facing a coalition crisis.

He says voters are being disadvantaged after democratically choosing their municipal leaders.

“As far as I remember, the SA society has been given the right to vote for their own people that they want to govern them. Now, what we have seen emerging over the last couple of years is committees are not playing any role, but everything is given to political parties that have managed to participate and get any share in the electorate. That to us is a problem because it demeans the democracy where people cannot have a right to participate in choosing their leaders.”