ABSTRACT
Local government is generally a nationally recognized jurisdiction with delegated authority to deliver basic services. A measure of autonomy is necessary for local government to provide services consistent with voters' preferences because they are expected to understand the needs, desires, and demands of the communities they serve. Decentralization is advanced on the grounds that a local government understands the concerns of local residents, and a strong local government enhances efficiency, responsiveness, accountability, manageability, and autonomy. Decentralization has been implemented to varying degrees in both Ghana and South Africa since the early 1990s. A feature of the constitution of the Republic of South Africa is that it laid down the framework for maximum devolution of authority to the local sphere within the constitutional spheres of government. Devolution may prove more problematic and thus require management of intergovernmental relationships, as in the case of South Africa.
