Not another ‘night at the museum’: ‘moving on’ – from ‘developmental’ local government to ‘developmental local state’

Since the government transformation in 1994, various efforts have been made in South Africa to institute a developmental local government system to facilitate and enhance growth and development in all sectors of society and to (re)structure and (re)develop the fragmented urban regions in the country. This article argues that the local government system (including the municipal development planning system) in South Africa is not appropriate to effectively facilitate the type of development that is required in this country (and in this globalising space and time). In view of the above, this exploratory inquiry aims to unpack and explore the developmental status and characteristics of local government in South Africa. The article concludes with some challenges, questions and propositions in an attempt to stimulate interest, debate, further research and to determine a possible path towards a ‘new developmental local state’.