South African Local Government Association

[3] Scholars including Van der Waldt and Thornhill assert that the nexus of public service delivery in South Africa is local government.

In the later 1990s, the US National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI) had a goal of strengthening countries' legislatures to ensure their governments are more accountable to their citizens.

Ethics codes and comparable legislation were among the activities to develop "structural framework for local government".

The main project included the SALGA among various other South African agencies, organizations, and provincial legislatures in a USAID program that provided over $3.8 million in funding.

[8] The administrative organization is structured in a way that the SALGA can easily work with support municipalities, to ensure that they can provide services to their communities.

[9] The South African Local Government Association releases an Annual Performance Plan (APP).

It analyzes numerous elements of local and municipal government, sharing findings and recommendations with all its members.

[9] A study of the South African Local Government Association found that regarding LED, there are two ways SALGA and its activities could maintain a crucial role.

[12] The SALGA takes action to empower women and support gender equality in local government.

[9] The SALGA publishes a magazine entitled Voice of the Local Government in association with Picasso Headline, which is part of the Tiso Blackstar Group.

[13] In 2006, the South African Local Government Association implemented a program that was part of the Development Bank of Southern Africa's "Operation Siyenza Manzi".

[15] In 2010, the SALGA developed a plan to ensure municipalities and local communities could all receive benefits brought in from the 2010 World Cup.

[9] In 2014, the City of Johannesburg expressed concern that its expansion would mean that landfill sites would be unable to be hidden in the coming years.

[16] The 2016 Annual Performance Plan (APP) features much reflection, as the twentieth anniversary of the association approached.

The Plan featured a revenue model, which was questioned by members at the National Assembly meeting discussing the APP.

[10] In June 2017, then South African Local Government Association President, Parks Tau, addressed the Council of Mayors in Cape Town.

The SALGA national executive committee recommended that new and innovative revenue streams were needed to fund local spheres of government.

The SALGA is seen as lacking the ability to effectively advocate for local and municipal interests and bring about change and substantive policy.

[10] The South African Local Government Association was criticized by members at a 2016 National Assembly meeting regarding its response to municipalities suffering from drought.

[10] The SALGA, along with general municipalities, was criticized as hindering the expression of freedom of speech, because different restrictions and policies prevented people from protesting mining and other work.