In Conversation With Runnie Mammushi, UAT Tshwane secretary
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Political organisation United Africans Transformation has proposed a new collaborative approach to addressing South Africa’s persistent service delivery challenges by strengthening partnerships between municipalities and tertiary institutions.
The proposal is grounded in the provisions of the Municipal Systems Act, which allows communities, civil society organisations and other stakeholders to participate in municipal decision-making processes.
Across South Africa, many municipalities continue to struggle with delivering essential services such as reliable water supply, electricity, sanitation, waste management and the maintenance of roads and infrastructure. These challenges are often linked to limited technical expertise, skills shortages and weak institutional capacity within local government.
UAT argues that institutions such as universities, universities of technology and TVET colleges possess significant technical expertise, research capacity and innovative potential that could help municipalities overcome these challenges.
Among the proposals put forward are structured university–municipality partnerships, the deployment of graduates into municipalities to address technical skills gaps, and the creation of municipal innovation and data hubs to improve planning and service delivery monitoring.
The organisation also proposes strengthening the role of TVET colleges in training artisans such as electricians, plumbers and technicians who are critical for maintaining municipal infrastructure.
UAT says linking tertiary education institutions with local government could help build more capable municipalities while also creating employment opportunities for young graduates.
The proposal is grounded in the provisions of the Municipal Systems Act, which allows communities, civil society organisations and other stakeholders to participate in municipal decision-making processes.
Across South Africa, many municipalities continue to struggle with delivering essential services such as reliable water supply, electricity, sanitation, waste management and the maintenance of roads and infrastructure. These challenges are often linked to limited technical expertise, skills shortages and weak institutional capacity within local government.
UAT argues that institutions such as universities, universities of technology and TVET colleges possess significant technical expertise, research capacity and innovative potential that could help municipalities overcome these challenges.
Among the proposals put forward are structured university–municipality partnerships, the deployment of graduates into municipalities to address technical skills gaps, and the creation of municipal innovation and data hubs to improve planning and service delivery monitoring.
The organisation also proposes strengthening the role of TVET colleges in training artisans such as electricians, plumbers and technicians who are critical for maintaining municipal infrastructure.
UAT says linking tertiary education institutions with local government could help build more capable municipalities while also creating employment opportunities for young graduates.
