Update on GCRO's 'Beyond Crisis; Towards Renewal' local government campaign

GCRO published outputs:

1. Götz, G. (2025). Municipal finances in crisis: Johannesburg and Cape Town in historical comparison. GCRO Interactive Visualisation. Gauteng City-Region Observatory, 11 December 2025. https://doi.org/10.36634/JRJC4484
2. Götz, G., Seedat, R., Arnold, S., Bell, J.F., Hamann, C., Hassen, E-K., Khanyile, S., Miles-Timotheus, S., Mkhize, T., Modiba, M., Mosiane, N., Mushongera, D., Naidoo, L., Naidoo, Y., Singh, S. (2025). The state of Johannesburg: Current context and conditions. GCRO Rapid Research Paper, Gauteng City-Region Observatory. https://doi.org/10.36634/KUVI9326
3. Franklyn, C. (2025). Exploring possible interventions into dysfunctional local government in Gauteng. GCRO Provocation 9. June 2025. https://doi.org/10.36634/UELW9821
4. Tshuma, N., Simelane, X., Hamann, C., Miles-Timotheus, S. and Naidoo, Y. (2025). Municipal Benchmarking Report: Findings from the GCRO’s Quality of Life survey 7 (2023/24). GCRO Data Brief 27, June 2025. https://doi.org/10.36634/RFNO2431

Workshops, seminars and webinars:

1. Two sessions facilitated as part of U20 Mayoral Summit: ‘Building bridges, not walls: Promoting social inclusion in a divided world’, 12 September 2025 (facilitated by Rashid Seedat); Global perspectives on enhancing urban living: The role of Quality-of-Life surveys in shaping sustainable cities: 13 September 2025 (Speakers: Graeme Gotz and Shamsunisaa Miles-Timotheus).
2. Arranged by GCRO: Pascal Moloi (August 2025). ‘A Review of the White Paper on Local Government 2026 Discussion Document', Faces of the City Seminar Series, online, 5 August 2025
3. GCRO partnered with PARI, SWOP and Wits Concerned Academics in supporting a seminar series: A multidisciplinary approach to the study of Urban Crisis: a focus on the City of Johannesburg (various seminars were run under this banner)
4. Convened a strategic roundtable on the Local Government White Paper Review discussion document, 24 June 2025
5. Thembani Mkhize, T and Shannon Arnold (June 2025). 'White Paper on Local Government Discussion Document 2026', ANC Gauteng Caucus, Alberton Civic Centre, 21 June 2025.
6. Graeme Gotz, Rashid Seedat and Shannon Arnold (May 2025). 'Crisis in the City of Johannesburg: Structural and governance dimensions', Faces of the City Seminar Series, online, 20 May 2025.

Opinion pieces:

1. Philip Harrison, Graeme Gotz, Rashid Seedat, Lorena Nunez Carrasco (2025). 'Johannesburg’s problems can be solved – but it’s a long journey to fix South Africa’s economic powerhouse. The Conversation Africa, 9 June 2025

Direct policy contributions:

1. As part of extended urbanisation project, organised a national workshop on extended urbanisation trends and implications for local government, as well as a subsequent ‘thinking session’ with the white paper drafting team. GCRO also prepared two sections of a national report that covered the history of choices around rural local government, and the implications for local government of the current extended urbanisation trends.
2. Synthesis of research into a draft chapter on Spatial Transformation, economic development and climate resilience for the new White Paper on Local Government, and participation in various consultation forums in the white paper process
3. GCRO made a written submission to national COGTA for the Local Government White Paper Review process
4. Core participation in the Presidential Johannesburg Working Group intervention, both on the Strategic Co-ordination Hub and in various workstreams

Academic articles published or submitted for publication:

1. Tladi, M., Joseph, K., Mkhize, T., & Ebrahim, Z. (2026). Understanding electoral shifts in the Gauteng City-Region: Insights on trust, governance and coalition politics. Development Southern Africa, 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1080/0376835X.2026.2678515
2. Tsoriyo, W. (2026). Invited but not included: Socio-demographic patterns and barriers to participation in Gauteng’s invited governance spaces. Development Southern Africa, Online first, 1–22. https://doi.org/10.1080/0376835X.2026.2651756
3. Whitaker, S.L., Mkhize, T. Seedat, R. Local government crisis in South Africa: Insights from Gauteng municipalities. Development Southern Africa (U20 special issue). (Submitted December 2025)
4. Tsoriyo, W. Invited but not included: Socio-demographic patterns and barriers to participation in Gauteng's invited governance spaces (Development Southern Africa (U20 special issue). (Submitted December 2025)