Despite the idea being laughed off by national government, the Gauteng government, in what an expert called a frivolous exercise, confirmed it is forging ahead with its plan to kill off two district municipalities. 

Ironically, President Cyril Ramaphosa will lead a government delegation on Friday to the Emfuleni Local Municipality, one of the local governments falling under the Sedibeng District Municipality which Gauteng said it wanted to do away with. 

Gauteng Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs spokesperson Kgapa Mabusela said the province, during the 2021/22 financial year, began a "high-level study" on the powers and functions of the Sedibeng and West Rand district municipalities, and the possibilities of establishing a single-tier system of local government.

Sedibeng and West Rand each have three local municipalities located in their respective districts, with a collective population of just under 1.1-million out of 15.1-million people living in Gauteng. 

"Based on the study conducted, the department appointed a project manager in the 2023/24 financial year in August to implement a roadmap on the powers and functions and to engage with the Municipal Demarcation Board.

"This with a view to conduct capacity assessments in the two districts to inform the assignment or reassignment of powers and functions between the district municipalities and local municipalities," Mabusela told News24. 

In July, during her opening address at the district development model (DDM) conference, Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Thembi Nkadimeng laughed off Gauteng's request for assistance with "capacity assessments" on the feasibility of undoing district municipalities in the province. 

Ramaphosa championed the DDM during his State of the Nation Address in February, saying it would allow all government spheres - from local to national - to work together and remedy the country's dysfunctional municipalities.

Only 38 out of 257 municipalities received clean audits in the 2021/22 financial year, as reported by the Auditor-General. 

Over the weekend, Ramaphosa held another DDM gathering in Potchefstroom, the North West, where residents informed him of service delivery failures in the province.

These included how a R250-million water project meant to service nearly 100 000 people was 18 months behind schedule after what the president called the "construction mafia" - which styles itself as local business forums - had delayed the project by demanding a 30% cut from the state.

In July, Nkadimeng spoke about how the DDM could survive and be practical, saying proper enforcement of national and provincial government interventions in ailing municipalities - as catered for in Section 154 of the Municipal Systems Act that governs local government - was required. 

"You know, I received a letter from Gauteng; they are saying, 'we want to do away with districts'. Yes, I received a letter from Gauteng saying, 'minister, can you support us in [our] assessment [on whether] we need districts'?

"I'm not sure if they want to do metros everywhere, even in West Rand," she said, scoffing at the idea with an evident wry smile.

Nkadimeng's spokesperson, Legadima Leso, did not respond to text messages and calls requesting comment. 

But Mabusela said, despite the minister's nonchalance, Gauteng was going ahead, adding:

The province will be conducting a detailed feasibility study [and] business case on the reconfiguration of local government and municipalities in Gauteng in the next financial year, 2024/25.

However, Dr Harlan Cloete from the University of the Free State's public administration and management department rejected Gauteng's reconfiguration.

He said the Municipal Systems Act legislated local government and an exhaustive process was needed for the province's plan to go ahead.

"It is a frivolous exercise. They [Gauteng government] can put in a public debate, but there is a long public participation process to have the law changed. Gauteng must just focus on delivering services to the people," Cloete added.

He said what Gauteng was proposing was "an old debate" - whether provinces should be disbanded and to only keep the national and local government spheres. 

"The reason we have district municipalities is [for them] to play that co-ordinating function. So, there's a debate on whether we need districts or do we need all nine provinces. There are 44 districts in the country. 

"So, we need governance closer to the people. Societies must engage on the effectiveness of local government because communities don't know the difference between local and district municipalities.

"District municipalities, according to the law, have certain functions, and they play a co-ordinating role," he said.