ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the link between decentralisation and the directive principles. Before the 1995 Constitution, district councils had no powers or functions constitutionally entrenched. The absence of the object of the district councils in the Constitution complicates the determination of the nature of district council powers and functions. The role of district councils in economic development is based on the assumption that smaller orders of government can be more responsive and efficient than the central government. In this regard, the role of district councils in the promotion of economic growth through certain essential sectors, such as agriculture, is critical in interpreting district council powers and functions. The recognition of the rights of persons with disabilities and of women as directive principles is helpful in interpreting which functions vest in the district council. District councils occupy unique spaces in the promotion of compulsory basic education.
