The impact of globalisation on local government in South Africa

Globalisation has been defined as a continuous evolutionary process whereby functions and influences cross boundaries from one state to another. The question is often raised as to whether a country such as South Africa can ignore global influences after years of isolation and integrate positively with the international community as a global player. The South African government has initiated the debate on the possible benefits of globalisation, especially in the local government sphere. Globalisation could, it is believed, facilitate economic and social upliftment in the communities served by local government. Whether it has the expertise and capacity needed to actualise these benefits is, however, debatable. The larger local authorities, or Category A municipalities, have supported the idea of globalisation and have begun formulating policies on international relations. The purpose of this article is, first, to determine the implications of globalisation for South African local authorities. Secondly, based on these findings, an attempt has been made to identify the criteria for integrating successfully into the international local government system. On the basis of these responses, a qualitative evaluation of the identified criteria was undertaken in order to determine the extent to which they have been met in South African local government.