Community-based governance refers to the systems and processes involved in the interface between community participation, community engagement, and public sector decision-making. This requires a partnership between civil society, business, and government. For this to work, all partners must commit and invest in these processes for the sake of communities.
In recent years, communities had to approach community-based governance with regional and local governments as mostly absent partners. As South Africa approached the national and provincial elections on 29 May, the hope was that voters would reflect on the indispensable role civil society organisations have assumed in bridging the governance gap left by ineffective local and provincial governments.
These organisations, driven by a profound commitment to community welfare, have extended their reach beyond their designated mandates, skill sets, and financial capacities to address pressing community needs. Their tireless efforts have underscored the significance of community-based governance and the urgent need for collaboration between civil society and government institutions.
In most provinces in South Africa, communities have found themselves grappling with the consequences of governance failures, ranging from inadequate service delivery to systemic corruption. Faced with these challenges, civil society organisations have emerged as beacons of hope, leveraging their grassroots networks and intimate understanding of local dynamics to deliver essential services, advocating positive change.
However, the burden should not fall solely on the shoulders of civil society. The question is whether in the new phase of governance post-election, incoming national and provincial governments will acknowledge and appreciate the pivotal role played by these organisations. They must recognise the wealth of expertise, connections, and trust that civil society brings to the table.
By rebuilding the fractured relationship between government and communities, which is fundamental to effective community-based governance, a collaborative approach is required. Civil society must, however, insist that the incoming governments move beyond mere acknowledgement and actively engage with civil society organisations as equal partners in the pursuit of sustainable development and social justice.
This entails fostering open channels of communication, soliciting input from communities and civil society in policy formulation and decision-making processes, and allocating and then Providing, resources to support the initiatives and projects driven by these organisations.
The reality is that we must carefully consider the election results, which have fragmented the political landscape and necessitated coalition governments. Voters did not forget the impact an ineffective national and provincial government has had on their communities. Therefore, voted with the expectation that our national government’s goal must be to ensure that communities at the grassroots level receive the services and support they need for the people living there to thrive.
The voters’ message is clear via results in provinces where governance failed: they are no longer accepting failures. Provincial governments ought to play a crucial intermediary role by bringing national objectives to the regional level Z tailoring strategies and policies to the specific needs and circumstances of their areas. Therefore, they set the tone for local governance, and community-based governance, by interpreting national policies and ensuring their implementation in a way that addresses local priorities. South Africans have not experienced this level of good governance in recent years; some never have.
- Dr Ina Gouws is a senior lecturer in the Governance and Political Transformation programme at the University of the Free State (UFS).
