A look at the top best and worst municipalities in South Africa in 2016

Ahead of the 2016 municipal elections, a new index compiled by Good Governance Africa (GGA) reveals which are the best – and worst – run municipalities in the country.

The index was compiled based on various data sources, including the 2011 census, National Treasury’s Local Government Yearbook, as well as various releases from Stats SA.

GGA looked at 234 local metropolitan universities and assessed them across 15 different criteria split into three main groups, namely administration, economic development and service delivery.

Nine of the top ten municipalities are run by the Democratic Alliance, according to the report, with all 17 of the party’s municipalities appearing in the top 40.

The bottom 10 municipalities are all ANC-run, with a showing from one IFP and one NFP-run municipality.

Dr Alain Tschudin, executive director of the GGA, said that DA municipalities generally performed well across all three performance clusters.

“With regard to service delivery, the DA’s highlights include refuse removal, water, sanitation and provision of electricity. In administration, its highlights are municipal capacity and financial soundness…In economic development, the DA did well in terms of the poverty and unemployment indicators,” he said.

The findings will bolster the DA’s efforts in the upcoming municipal elections – particularly in hotly-contested districts such as Nelson Mandela Bay, the City of Tshwane and the City of Johannesburg.

15 of the top 20 municipalities are in the Western Cape, while half of the 20 worst-run municipalities are in the Eastern Cape (followed by seven in KwaZulu Natal, two in Limpopo and one in North West Province).

20 best municipalities in South Africa

#	Municipality	Province	Controlling party (C = coalition)
1	Swellendam	WC	DA (C) ACDP
2	Hessequa	WC	DA
3	Bergrivier	WC	DA
4	Swartland	WC	DA
5	Mossel Bay	WC	DA
6	Langeberg	WC	DA
7	Overstrand	WC	DA
8	Saldanha	WC	DA
9	Emthanjeni	NC	ANC
10	Witzenberg	WC	DA (C) Cope, DCP, IND
11	Cape Agulhas	WC	ANC
12	Beaufort West	WC	ANC
13	Prince Albert	WC	ANC
14	Hantam	NC	DA (C) Cope
15	Matzikama	WC	ANC
16	Drakenstein	WC	DA
17	Richtersveld	NC	ANC
18	George	WC	DA
19	Metsimaholo	FS	ANC
20	Dihlabeng	FS	ANC

20 worst municipalities in South Africa

#	Municipality	Province	Controlling party (C = coalition)
232	Ntambanana	KZN	ANC
231	Ingquza Hill	EC	ANC
230	Vulamehlo	KZN	ANC
229	Greater Tubaste	LP	ANC
228	Mbhashe	EC	ANC
227	Maphumulo	KZN	ANC
226	Engcobo	EC	ANC
225	Mhlontlo	EC	ANC
224	Intsika Yethu	EC	ANC
223	Port St Johns	EC	ANC
222	Ndwedwe	KZN	ANC
221	Nyandeni	EC	ANC
220	uMhlabuyalingana	KZN	ANC
219	Umzumbe	KZN	ANC
218	Mnquma	EC	ANC
217	Umzimvubu	EC	ANC
216	Greater Taung	NW	ANC
215	King Sabata Dalindyebo	EC	ANC
214	Msinga	KZN	IFP
213	Mahuduthamaga	LP	ANC

source:businesstech.co.za