Change processes in the Greater Johannesburg Metropolitan Council from 1995 to 1999

Abstract

During the past decade Johannesburg has been going through a process of change in the areas of organisational and service restructuring for improved service delivery and sustainable development. The purpose of the study was to look at what have been the key change drivers in that process from 1995 to 1999 and assess what lessons could be drawn from the experience in conceptualising a national strategic framework for local government transformations. One key finding of the study is that the financial crisis that the council experienced from 1997 created bases for external pressure from communities and national government which ultimately forced the council to think and act on change. However, the study found that a power-bloc comprising few administrators and key figures from the ANC component of council continued to drive and manage the change process