The Mahikeng Campus of the North-West University (NWU) hosted an engaging policy seminar on Monday, 31 August 2026, focusing on the state of local government in contemporary South Africa, local government transformation and the review of the Local Government White Paper.

The session brought together government representatives, academics, students, local government leadership and other stakeholders to reflect on the challenges facing local government and consider opportunities to strengthen governance and service delivery.

The engagement was hosted in partnership with the School of Government Studies (SoGS) and Afrocentric Governance of Public Affairs (AGoPA).

The programme was directed by Dr Naledi Modise from the SoGS, setting the tone for a day of robust dialogue on the future of local governance in South Africa.

Dr Joe Molete, deputy vice-chancellor for student life, transformation, people and culture with the assigned function of the Mahikeng Campus, welcomed the attendees and emphasised the importance of creating platforms where young people can participate meaningfully in discussions about the governance and development of the country.

Dr Molete encouraged students to take advantage of opportunities such as policy seminars, noting that the students of today are the leaders of tomorrow and will play an important role in shaping the future of South Africa.

“Engagements of this nature are important because they expose our students to real-world policy discussions and give them an opportunity to engage with leaders and experts on matters that directly affect society,” said Dr Molete.

Prof. Dumi Moyo, the executive dean of the Faculty of Humanities, outlined the purpose of the engagement, highlighting the importance of bringing together academic knowledge, government experience and community perspectives to interrogate the local government system of the country.

Providing a message of support on behalf of AGoPA, Prof. Benjamin Rapanyane reaffirmed the commitment of the organisation to creating spaces for meaningful conversations on governance, public administration and the transformation of public institutions.

The engagement also received a message of support from the executive mayor of Mahikeng Local Municipality, Cllr Tshepiso Mphehlo, who represented the local government perspective and underscored the importance of constructive collaboration between institutions of higher learning and municipalities.

The keynote address was delivered by the Deputy Minister of Cooperative Governance, Dr Namane Dickson Masemola, who led the central discussion on the state of local government in contemporary times and the ongoing policy considerations around the review of the Local Government White Paper.

The deputy minister's address provided an opportunity for participants to reflect on the evolution of local government in South Africa, the challenges confronting municipalities and the need for continued transformation to ensure that local government remains responsive to the needs of communities.

The seminar also provided an important platform for critical reflection from emerging leaders and academics. Outgoing Student Representative Council president Relations Seobela and Dr Nkosi Mkhize from the SoGS served as discussants, offering perspectives on the issues raised during the keynote address.

Their contributions enriched the conversation by bringing together student perspectives, academic insight and broader considerations around governance and public administration.

The engagement concluded with a vote of thanks delivered by Prof. Melvin Diedericks, director of the SoGS, who thanked all stakeholders for contributing to the day's discussion.

The seminar reaffirmed the role of the NWU as a platform for knowledge exchange, policy dialogue and engagement on matters of national importance. Through initiatives such as these, the university continues to connect scholarship with society and create opportunities for students and academics to engage directly with policymakers and practitioners.

As South Africa considers the future of local government and the review of the Local Government White Paper, platforms such as the NWU policy seminar remain important in ensuring that diverse voices, including those of young people and the academic community, form part of conversations about strengthening governance and building responsive, accountable and effective local government.

Dr Joe Molete, deputy vice-chancellor for student life, transformation, people and culture with the assigned function of the Mahikeng Campus, with the Deputy Minister of Cooperative Governance, Dr Namane Dickson Masemola.