Local government failures widening trust deficit between State, citizens – Ramaphosa

PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa has warned that failures at a local government level are widening the trust deficit between national government and the citizenry.

Ramaphosa was speaking during Thursday’s national conference focused on local government accountability, service delivery and human rights, organised by the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) and the Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities.

Ramaphosa said unless failures were remedied, South Africans could become disillusioned with democracy itself.

He stressed that local government was one of the most important custodians of the socio-economic rights of South Africans.

“Efficient and affordable service delivery could mark the difference between leading a life of dignity, as promised by our Constitution, and a life of squalor, misery and deprivation. When local government works – when basic services like water, sanitation, education, electrification and health care – are distributed efficiently and equitably, people’s quality