The idea of a single election will be discussed at a local government meeting in Boksburg, Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Sicelo Shiceka said on Wednesday.
This year national and provincial government elections were held in April, while local government elections are scheduled for 2011.
"This matter was raised by the people on the ground... They believe we must be able to align and simplify our system of government," Shiceka said.
The idea would be put to the delegates at the indaba and would then go to the various levels of government for further discussion.
Watershed meeting
Shiceka described the indaba as a "watershed meeting" aimed at answering the questions raised by President Jacob Zuma regarding local government.
Possible constitutional changes and a possible review of certain laws may result from the meeting.
SA Local Government Association chairperson Amos Masondo said local government enjoyed powers and functions spelt out in the Constitution.
"... We had to go back to the drawing board and ask questions around what's working and what's not working," he said.
Masondo said functions, for example the delivery of housing, currently located at provincial and national level, could be delegated to local government level.
He said that capacity existed at local level to accomplish this and where it did not exist the capacity could be built.
'Unprecedented' system of governance
The indaba comes in the wake of protests against lack of service delivery across the country with many turning violent and seeing the destruction of property.
Shiceka said a turnaround strategy would be put together by December and go through the various levels of government for discussion and implementation early next year.
"When you buy services you must get value for your money.
"We are going to have a system of local governance that is unprecedented in South Africa."
A report on the state of local government was released at the conference, which indicated that 30% of the protests from January to July this year took place in Gauteng.
North West experienced 17% of the protests, 15% were in the Free State and 12% in the Western Cape.
- SAPA
This year national and provincial government elections were held in April, while local government elections are scheduled for 2011.
"This matter was raised by the people on the ground... They believe we must be able to align and simplify our system of government," Shiceka said.
The idea would be put to the delegates at the indaba and would then go to the various levels of government for further discussion.
Watershed meeting
Shiceka described the indaba as a "watershed meeting" aimed at answering the questions raised by President Jacob Zuma regarding local government.
Possible constitutional changes and a possible review of certain laws may result from the meeting.
SA Local Government Association chairperson Amos Masondo said local government enjoyed powers and functions spelt out in the Constitution.
"... We had to go back to the drawing board and ask questions around what's working and what's not working," he said.
Masondo said functions, for example the delivery of housing, currently located at provincial and national level, could be delegated to local government level.
He said that capacity existed at local level to accomplish this and where it did not exist the capacity could be built.
'Unprecedented' system of governance
The indaba comes in the wake of protests against lack of service delivery across the country with many turning violent and seeing the destruction of property.
Shiceka said a turnaround strategy would be put together by December and go through the various levels of government for discussion and implementation early next year.
"When you buy services you must get value for your money.
"We are going to have a system of local governance that is unprecedented in South Africa."
A report on the state of local government was released at the conference, which indicated that 30% of the protests from January to July this year took place in Gauteng.
North West experienced 17% of the protests, 15% were in the Free State and 12% in the Western Cape.
- SAPA
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