Ramaphosa calls for accountability and transparency in municipalities

President Cyril Ramaphosa has highlighted the need for accountability and transparency in municipalities for them to function.

The president was speaking at the launch of the revised white paper on local government in Boksburg.

The policy seeks to address failures in municipal governance, financial mismanagement, and poor service delivery.

Ramaphosa says only those who are capable and qualified should be appointed and warned against overlooking young accountable applicants.

“Those are the people that we must be appointing, people who are accountable. There must be consequences when public resources are wasted, when procurement is manipulated or when public duties are neglected,” says Ramaphosa.

President @CyrilRamaphosa delivers the keynote address at the launch of the Cabinet-approved Revised White Paper on Local Government, 2026, at the Birchwood Hotel & OR Tambo Conference Centre in Ekurhuleni, Gauteng.

Held under the theme “Every Municipality Must Work: From Policy to Collective Action,” the launch brings together leadership across all 257 municipalities and a broad range of stakeholders to advance local government reform and strengthen municipal governance, institutional capacity and service delivery.

— The Presidency 🇿🇦 (@PresidencyZA) October 22, 2026