Local government elections and the illusion of pragmatism

ABSTRACT The emphasis on and centrality of service delivery in political party manifestos brings about an illusion of local government as a de-ideological and value-free sphere of governance. Whilst the focus on service delivery implies a strict pragmatism of sorts, it can be argued that this occurs against a backdrop of prevailing paradigms or frameworks of ideas which determine the parameters for political action even at this sphere of government. Moreover, the emphasis on service delivery in party manifestos gives the impression that political parties are interchangeable as the focus is on pragmatic and ‘neutral’ service provision. The short history of local government in South Africa, however, does have episodes of neoliberal approaches at the municipal level and that past has been ignored. Following the 2021 local government elections, A fair few analysts have advanced the notion that local government is about pragmatism and service delivery and not grand narratives and ideology.