Special Focus: Municipal Courts
A special focus on the role of municipal courts in South Africa, commissioned by the Open Society Foundation.
Going for green
Host cities face a major challenge minimising the environmental footprint of an estimated 450 000 visitors during the 2010 FIFA World Cup, but there are both local and international examples we can learn from.
Cashing in on Kyoto
As South Africa begins to roll out big public transport projects, cities and towns could benefit from the international trade in carbon credits.
Bumpy road ahead for constitutional amendment?
A proposed amendment to the Constitution would give national government the power to make laws limiting the executive authority of municipalities in respect of municipal functions. Lawyers KATE REYNOLDS and MIKE EVANS shed light on some of the difficulties facing the Bill.
The car wash soap opera
The Forum meets in a Thusong centre that is way off the beaten track. This is to ‘take decision-making closer to the people’, as the Speaker of our municipality says.
Do markets offer good value?
While established markets like the one in Tshwane play an important role in the economy, there are many hidden pitfalls for municipalities who see markets as a quick path to job creation.
Communities are doing it for themselves
Poor neighbourhoods are building citizenship and civic pride in Bolivia through an annual competition to improve public spaces.
10 steps to a strong developmental state
With South Africa’s fourth democratic government hailed as bringing the dawn of a new era, DEREK POWELL, looks at what needs to change in our public sector.
Talking to ... Taffy Adler
There’s already controversy about the transfer of land to the new Housing Development Agency, but for long-time housing activist and CEO of the Agency there’s now a new ‘window of opportunity’ to tackle the housing backlog.
Who's who
A new era has begun in the national and provincial executives, as well as in key Parliamentary committees. For those who work in and with government, here’s a quick and easy guide to the new movers and shakers.
Making public sector teams more effective
Teams produce better results than individuals working alone and they make the work environment more interesting and exciting. SHANAAZ MAJIET analyses what makes teams effective.
Learning from each other
Impumelelo’s recent best-practice workshop provided a space to reflect on its award-winning environmental projects in the public sector and inspire municipalities to explore, adapt and replicate these successful approaches.
Money for honey
An award-winning meadery in the Eastern Cape is helping meet the global demand for honey by providing livelihoods through keeping bees and selling honey products in an ecologically sound way.
Innovative ways to increase payments
A low-cost internal approach to improving data at Drakenstein Municipality has recovered millions of rands in unpaid debt, strengthening the financial sustainability of the municipality.
Solar solutions for safe water
By tapping into the sun we can provide lowtech, low-cost and highly effective solutions for the millions of rural citizens still without access to clean water in the country.