Bury or burn? Facing up to South Africa's cemetery dilemma
What happens to the earthly remains of a loved one is not an easy topic of conversation, but South African municipalities are facing up to the fact that land for cemeteries is fast running out. This calls for a change in long established cultural practices.
City regions as drivers of national economic growth
Four areas are the key to achieving sustained economic growth in cities argues a leading international practitioner in city and regional development.
Why having a gender policy matters
Equality between men and women both within municipalities and as recipients of service delivery will never be achieved unless there is a conscious effort to make gender issues part of the mainstream of municipal life.
10 ways for municipalities to go green
Change must start at home, and for South Africa’s municipalities this means starting in civic buildings and leading the way to more a sustainable future.
Feeling blue about cowboy cops
I have something to confess – in a TRC kind of way. I was … a school prefect in high school and primary school! I know there are some 40-year olds who still proudly flag their prefect status on their CVs.
10 ways to communicate sensibly about valuations and rates
With municipalities around the country having to implement the Municipal Property Rates Act, it’s essential to explain to residents what’s going on and why it’s so important.
Talking to ... Fire chiefs
Quite literally at the coalface of disaster, fire fighters have a huge role to play in ensuring the prevention of and speedy response to fires. DELIVERY spoke to three fire chiefs about averting disaster.
10 things you should know about waste
Many South Africans are part of the ‘throw away’ generation, growing up with little knowledge or awareness of what happens to the waste they generate. But as landfills overflow we are all called on to take more responsibility. One way is to know about the waste we personally generate
Managing time for professional and personal development
Many public servants are in a constant race against time. There never seem to be enough hours in the day to get everything done and balance the competing demands of members of the public, managers, politicians and colleagues. Many of us take work home, and this means managing the competing demands of our profession and our families.
Developing skills in George
An innovative programme by the George Municipality in the Western Cape is genuinely empowering residents to seek formal employment – through committed partnerships with the private sector.
Natural solutions to municipal problems
From worms for managing waste to natural ways to cope with stormwater, green buildings and bicycle projects that promote livelihood creation, these inspiring ideas can be implemented anywhere.
Knysna goes wireless
Investment in wireless network infrastructure in Knysna has brought huge cost-savings for the municipality and is empowering residents on both sides of the economic and digital divide.
LED assistance in small economies
Driving through Fetakgomo, one could not help but wonder if it was possible to do local economic development (LED) in an economy so small that one could hardly find the town centre.
Culture flourishes in Barcelona
With a history often compared with ours, Spain is a relatively new democracy. The capital city Barcelona is a fascinating point of departure from which to view the widespread cultural changes that characterise this city.
From spheres to tiers
The networked and co-operative nature of government envisaged in the constitution has been replaced by an outdated top-down approach, argues DAVID SCHMIDT, to the detriment of democracy and delivery.
Is it time to rethink?
A two-year process to review the powers and functions of local, provincial and national government in South Africa has been announced by Minister Sydney Mufamadi, and all South Africans are invited to participate.
Urban Nature: A civic life support system
Urban nature may sound like a contradiction in terms, but there is a growing interest in those elements of the natural world that survive in the urban landscape.