2014/15 Submission for the Division of Revenue

“Fiscal Levers for National Development”. The Commission identifies fiscal policy and other measures that Government can adopt for a well-functioning system that promotes development. The argument is that Government can use its fiscal levers (public resources) sparingly and efficiently, not only to create an ideal child support system but also to lay the foundations for future growth and development by fixing Further Education Training colleges and investing in higher education research. Transfers to sub-national government can enable provincial and local spheres to play a central role in countering the three major challenges facing the country – unemployment, poverty and inequality – while encouraging economic growth and overall national development.

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Sustaining Local Government Finances

“As municipal service delivery challenges become more apparent, protests by communities are plaguing the local government sphere and could threaten the social and political wellbeing of the country. A common perception is that the current structure of the Local Government Fiscal Framework results in inappropriate funding for certain municipalities. Under-funding is given as an explanation for municipal service delivery failures and general poor performance, yet little research has been undertaken to justify such a view. Concerns around the LGFF often hide the non-fiscal issues (such as capacity constraints and weak systems of accountability) that result in the failures of municipalities...”

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technical report: 2013/2014 submission for the division of revenue

This Technical Report explores what local, provincial and national governments might do to strengthen economic development and increase employment. The focus is on the IGFR system’s instruments that contribute to the economic development (of regions) and the transmission mechanisms, and how they unblock structural impediments towards inclusive growth.

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Gender Budgeting: Translating Government Gender Equality Commitments into Reality

The South African government has shown its commitment to gender equality through various policy and legislative measures, including anti-discriminatory legislation and employment-equity policies. Despite these commitments, unacceptable gender inequalities still remain. In this study, key intervention areas are proposed to make local government budgets gender sensitive.

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