Municipalities of South Africa
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- See also List of South African Municipalities
Municipalities in South Africa are a division of local government that lie one level down from provincial government, and form the lowest level of democratically elected government structures in the country. The foundation for this layer of government is set out in the Constitution of South Africa (in Chapter 7), but separate acts of parliament have defined the municipal structures since the inception of the current constitution.
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[edit] Categories of municipalities
Municipalities can belong to one of three categories: metropolitan, district and local (referred to in the constitution as categories A, B and C).
[edit] Metropolitan municipalities
Metropolitan (or "category A") municipalities are large regions, with their own local government structures, and which usually encompass some urbanised region (or regions), which might be regarded as a city.
For example, the Ethekwini municipality contains the city of Durban. In another example, the Greater Johannesburg Metropolitan Area, is actually made up of three municipalities, the Johannesburg metropolitan, the Ekurhuleni metropolitan, and the West Rand district. There are six metropolitan municipalities in South Africa.
[edit] District and local municipalities
District (or "category C") municipalities are municipalities which can contain other municipalities. Local (or "category B") municipalities are municipalities found within district municipalities. Local municipalities share authority with the district municipality in which they fall.
For example, the Msunduzi local municipality, in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, is contained within the district municipality of uMgungundlovu.
[edit] Layering of municipalities
[edit] The "district" layer
Metropolitan and district municipalities form the layer of government directly below provinces in the country. Between them, they cover the entirety of the continental area of the country.
[edit] The local layer
Local municipalities represent a subdivision of district municipalities, and, together with district municipalities, form the third layer of government. Metropolitan municipalities have no official subdivision, but in one case, the Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality, custom subdivisions have been established, known as administrative regions.
[edit] Electoral wards
The final layer of subdivision of electoral regions in South Africa are electoral wards. Local and metropolitan municipalities are subdivided into electoral wards.
[edit] Legislation concerning Municipalities
Apart from Chapter 7 of the South African Constitution the South African Parliament has passed several pieces of legislation to deal specifically with local government in South Africa. The following Acts of Parliament deal specifically with Municipal Structures:
- Local Government: Municipal Systems Act(Original Act)
- Local Government: Municipal Structures Amendment Act
- Redetermination of the Boundaries of Cross-Boundary Municipalities Act
[edit] Name Changes with regard to Municipalities and Cities South Africa
The South African Geographical Names Council is a statutory body that deals specifically with changing names of places in South Africa, including municipalities.
[edit] External links
- Municipal Demarcations Board of South Africa
- South African Local Government Association Home Page
- Chapter 7 of the Constitution of South Africa This chapter describes the municipal government structure in the country.
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