Cape Town has been named the leading metro in South Africa according to the latest Good Governance Africa’s Governance Performance Index (GPI) for 2024.
The city outshone its counterparts across five critical governance indicators, establishing itself as a model for good governance and efficient service delivery.
Cape Town ranks first in ‘Good Governance Africa Index’
The GPI 2024 assessment placed Cape Town at the forefront among South African metros, evaluating cities, local, and district municipalities across diverse governance aspects.
Cape Town emerged as the only metro to secure a score of at least four out of five in every assessed category, demonstrating its comprehensive approach to governance and public service.
The index particularly praised Cape Town for its performance in service delivery, the category with the highest weight.
Additionally, Cape Town’s leadership in economic development, particularly its successful strategies in fostering economic growth and reducing unemployment, was recognised.
Recent data, including the Quarterly Labour Force Survey for the fourth quarter of 2023, show Cape Town maintaining the lowest broad unemployment rate in South Africa and adding 363 000 new jobs since November 2021.
Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis attributed this success to the city’s governance framework, emphasising the link between good governance, economic development, and improved service delivery.
“Good governance is the foundation of a job-creating economy and better service delivery, especially for the most vulnerable. We are encouraged by Cape Town again ranking top in this latest index, which is a sign of progress in our mission to build a city of hope by helping more people out of poverty and into employment,’ he said.
The GPI evaluates municipalities based on:
- Administration and Governance
- Economic Development
- Leadership and Management
- Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation
- Service Delivery
Cape Town’s achievements are echoed in other reports, which have named it South Africa’s most sustainable city and the best municipality for financial sustainability in 2023.
Furthermore, the city has been acknowledged for its financial management with a clean audit for the 2022/23 fiscal year and a strong credit rating from Moody’s.
What the Governance Performance Index Suggests
The GPI sheds light on the crucial role of local municipalities in South Africa, which serve as the primary point of contact for a significant portion of the country’s population.
The index reveals how municipalities across the Western Cape, including Cape Town, consistently outperform others in governance and service delivery.
The 2024 GPI highlights improvements in local municipal performance compared to 2021, with Western Cape municipalities dominating the top ranks.
The index identifies Swartland Local Municipality as the best-performing municipality nationwide, followed by Drakenstein and Saldanha Bay Local Municipalities, each leading in their respective categories.
The Governance Performance Index provides valuable insights into the governance landscape of South Africa, illustrating the impact of effective leadership and management at the municipal level.
