Implementing financial disclosure in local government: Compliance among councillors

This brief addresses issues of compliance to financial disclosure among SA's local councillors.

This policy brief is the third in a four-part series designed to assist municipal staff and elected councillors in South Africa manage and detect conflicts of interests in public life. The purpose of the series is to support effective implementation of financial disclosure regulations by reflecting on institutional good practice, lessons learnt, and providing practical advice and recommendations.

The validity of a financial disclosure framework depends on the submission of financial disclosure forms by councillors. For declarations to have an effect the information must be submitted in a timely and comprehensive manner.

When councillors fail to submit declarations of interest it is impossible to exercise oversight over their conduct and detect potential conflicts of interest. Non-compliance renders the entire monitoring and oversight process ineffective.

This policy brief addresses the issue of compliance of financial disclosure among South Africa’s local councillors and provides recommendations on how to improve the submission process.

Authors: Collette Schulz-Herzenberg, Shireen Mukadam and Jamy Felton