Durban — ActionSA’s mayoral candidate in the City of eThekwini, Zwakele Mncwango, has expressed deep concern about the capacity of many councillors in KwaZulu‑Natal to scrutinise council papers, saying a large number "cannot read for meaning". His remarks, made during an interview in Durban, strike at the heart of municipal accountability as South Africa prepares for local government elections.
Claim: councillors unable to engage with documents
Mncwango said his experience in local government shows that some councillors depend heavily on municipal officials to interpret reports and even to draft speeches. He suggested this practice undermines councillors’ oversight role, particularly in areas such as budget scrutiny.
"Most councillors, I will say this without fear of doubt, cannot read for meaning. It’s a fact they cannot read for meaning,"
He also asserted that councillors — including Members of the Mayoral Committee responsible for finance — frequently have officials prepare their speeches and that officials often take responsibility for budgets and technical work. Mncwango said the expectation, however, is that elected representatives remain engaged in the process rather than outsource it entirely.
Training and the post‑1994 expectation
Mncwango noted that the South African Local Government Association (Salga) provides training opportunities for councillors and argued that, more than three decades into democracy, there is little excuse for poor literacy or a lack of formal study among long‑serving representatives.
"Maybe in the early 2000s there was an issue because we had just come from apartheid; we were oppressed; we did not have an opportunity. That excuse, you can’t use it now, 30 years into democracy," he said, adding that councillors who have been in office for several terms should have taken advantage of available training and development.
Implications for oversight and service delivery
The concerns raised touch on two linked functions of local councillors: democratic oversight of municipal administration and responsiveness to communities. If elected representatives are unable to interpret council reports, budgets or contracts, they may struggle to hold officials to account on expenditure, procurement and service‑delivery performance.
Reliance on officials to explain or prepare key documents risks weakening the separation between policymaking and administration. Mncwango warned that when councillors are not active participants in processes such as budget deliberations, the effectiveness of municipal governance may suffer.
- Accountability: councillors must be able to question and verify officials’ work.
- Transparency: informed elected representatives are central to public scrutiny of spending and contracts.
- Capacity building: ongoing training is necessary to equip councillors for complex portfolio responsibilities.
What Mncwango’s comments mean for voters
Voters assessing mayoral candidates and ward representatives ahead of the elections may view Mncwango’s remarks as a call to consider the competency and preparedness of those on ballots. The candidate framed his critique as an appeal for higher standards and continuous professional development among councillors, not solely as a partisan attack.
His comments were made as part of a wider reporting project by The Citizen that included visits across the country to explore civic issues in the run‑up to the elections. Mncwango is contesting to lead the eThekwini municipality as ActionSA’s mayoral candidate.
Summary of key claims and immediate questions
| Claim | Potential consequence |
|---|---|
| Many councillors "cannot read for meaning" | Reduced ability to scrutinise budgets and reports |
| Councillors rely on officials to draft speeches and budgets | Blurring of oversight and administration roles |
| Salga offers training; excuses no longer valid post‑1994 | Expectations that councillors pursue available development |
Questions remain about the scale of the problem and whether independent assessments of councillors’ competencies exist. Mncwango’s assertions will likely prompt calls for parties, municipal administrations and Salga to outline how they identify and address capacity gaps among elected representatives.
For voters in eThekwini and across KwaZulu‑Natal, the exchange highlights that beyond party politics, the technical capability of councillors matters for everyday municipal decisions: budgeting, procurement, planning and basic service delivery. As the campaign season continues, candidates and parties may be asked to set out how they will strengthen councillors’ skills and independence from administrative staff.
Reporting from Durban.
