The form of government in South Africa

Question 1

Point 1

Answer 1

• South Africa is divided into three spheres (not levels or tiers) of government, namely national, provincial and local government (consisting of municipalities)

Question 2

Point 2

Answer 2

A sphere connotes a vision of a non-hierarchical government in which each government sphere has equal status, is autonomous and possesses the constitutional latitude within which to define and express its mandate

Question 3

Point 3

Answer 3

Levels or tiers of government refers to a multilevel government where institutions of the same type are repeated (for example at national, regional and local levels) with the assumption that one level or tier has more status than the others (implying a hierarchal relationship)

Question 4

Point 4

Answer 4

The spheres of government are distinctive, yet interdependent and interrelated

Question 5

Point 5

Answer 5

The spheres should not be seen as hierarchical

Question 6

Point 6

Answer 6

The Constitution, 1996, envisages a state that supports interaction and cooperation among the three spheres of government on a continuous basis and therefore provides a set of principles to direct the manner and quality of those interactions

Question 7

Point 7

Answer 7

The principles of cooperative government and intergovernmental relations recognises the interdependence of the three spheres of government in South Africa and places a duty on the spheres of government to respect each other’s powers, functions and institutions and to inform each other of new policies.

Question 8

Characteristics of a corporate government

Answer 8

• maintain national security
• maintain economic unity
• maintain essential national standards
• establish minimum standards required for the rendering of services
• to prevent unreasonable action taken by a province which is prejudicial to the interests of another province or to the country as a whole.

Question 9

Disadvantage

Answer 9

-no national barometer for monitoring of all municipal functions; no clear delineation of monitoring roles between national and provincial spheres
-no national intervention power if provinces fail to intervene in municipalities; disjuncture between mandatory financial and discretionary interventions

Question 10

Point 8

Answer 10

Monitoring, support and intervention require the three spheres of government to forge strong, flexible goal-directed partnerships that can promote collaboration without weakening performance and accountability.