According to North-West University (NWU) principal and vice-chancellor Prof. Bismark Tyobeka higher education institutions have a role to play in supporting governance reform at local municipalities - many of which are in disarray.
“Universities can contribute to the rehabilitation of local government through research, skills development and evidence-based policy input,” he said during a public lecture by Dr Ben Bole, head of the Department for North West Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) on13 April.
Prof. Tyobeka pointed to 2023-2024 financial year findings by the Auditor-General of South Africa which show that only 41 of the 257 municipalities nationally have achieved clean audits, while many others continue to receive adverse or disclaimed audit opinions.
These outcomes, he said, expose deep weaknesses in financial management, internal controls and governance oversight, and point to structural challenges that go beyond simple non-compliance.
He noted that the situation is particularly concerning in the North West Province, where adverse audit outcomes remain persistent and financial vulnerability continues to affect several municipalities. According to the Auditor-General’s 2023-2024 report, none of the province’s 22 municipalities received an unqualified audit,
Poor audit performance correlates with poor service delivery
Prof. Tyobeka described the condition of local government as a “state of crisis”, linking poor audit performance directly to failing service delivery, weak infrastructure maintenance and declining public trust in governance systems.
“These conditions influence the reliability of service delivery and shape public confidence in local governance systems,” he said, adding that the effects extend beyond governance into the economic space.
Dysfunctional municipalities have contributed to business disinvestment, with some companies relocating or threatening to leave affected areas, a trend that has worsened unemployment levels in the province which exceeds 40%.
Prof. Tyobeka attributed the poor audit outcomes to a combination of weak financial management systems, ineffective internal controls, limited governance oversight, lack of administrative discipline and broader institutional incapacity across municipalities. He stressed that these challenges are systemic in nature and require a fundamental recalibration of the local government system rather than isolated compliance-driven interventions.
Urgent need for the right skills
He emphasised the need to strengthen institutional capacity by building capable administrations with the necessary skills in finance, governance and public administration.
Prof. Tyobeka further argued that policy coherence across national, provincial and local government structures is essential to ensure consistent implementation and reduce fragmentation within the system.
Scholarship must be harnessed
Highlighting the value that universities can bring in supporting governance reform, he said scholarship must inform governance deliberations and support decisions that are grounded, coherent and forward-looking.
He added that the ongoing review of the White Paper on Local Government presents an opportunity to address entrenched inefficiencies and advance accountability across the governance system. For this process to succeed, he said, it must be guided by clear policy direction, institutional alignment and a sustained commitment to reform.
“Reform requires precision, alignment and sustained commitment,” Prof. Tyobeka said, emphasising that local government remains central to national development and to the lived realities of communities.
Prof. Bismark Tyobeka, NWU principal and vice-chancellor
