President Jacob Zuma is expected to convene a Presidential Local Government Summit to agree on an urgent action plan to strengthen local government by getting the basics right.

The summit will be held at Saint George's Hotel and Conference Centre in Pretoria on 18 September 2014.

The summit follows the 2014 State of the Nation Address, where Zuma emphasised that people's experience of local government must be a positive one.

The President stressed that local government must be at the forefront of improving people's lives and creating conditions for inclusive economic growth and job creation.

Zuma has since directed Minister for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), Pravin Gordhan, to bring together all mayors, speakers, chief whips, municipal managers and chief financial officers from South Africa's 278 municipalities.

Ministers, Premiers, MECs for Cooperative Governance, Traditional Leaders, Business, Professional Bodies, Trade Unions and SALGA and Civil Society formations have also been invited to attend the summit.

The parties will collectively commit to urgent action towards improving the lives of people through improving performance in local government.