When the apartheid era in South Africa finally ended in 1994, South Africans and their government stood before the enormous challenge of keeping the country and its people together and ensuring peaceful co-existence for the years to come. At that time South Africa entered a post-conflict reconstruction phase in which the country arguably still finds itself today. Besides central government, it are the local authorities of South Africa who have not in the least dealt with the challenges and opportunities that the post-apartheid era offered. Being the tier of government closest to the multi-ethnic South African people, local governments primarily are faced with guarding the social cohesion in the community.

Hence, in this session the experiences of prominent South African local government leaders in this regard will be addressed. What is the role of local governments in overcoming the severe social damage that decades of apartheid have caused? What are the obstacles, what are the dilemmas, and which approaches have been successful? The invited speakers will explain how local governments and their leaders cope with overcoming apartheid through guarding and stimulating social cohesion in the big cities (Johannesburg) on the one hand and in the communities on the other.

 

Moderator
Xolile George, Chief Executive Officer of the South African Local Government Association (SALGA)

Speakers
Amos Masondo, Chairperson of SALGA and Executive Mayor of the City of Johannesburg (South Africa)

 
Hazel Jenkins, Deputy Chairperson of SALGA