Municipal financing for sustainable development: A case of South Africa

Abstract

This article explores the financing of the sustainable development goals through the budget process with the aim of achieving sustainable development. Existing theory points out that local government budgets play an important role in pro-poor service delivery. However, underfunding can be seen across all areas in South Africa, resulting in municipalities that cannot function properly and look after the needs of their inhabitants. Based on a study of selected municipalities in South Africa, this paper tries to answer the question of whether municipalities allocate and spend their financial resources to pursue the 17 sustainable development goals. The findings indicate that as the medium for achieving the sustainable development goals, the focus of local government budgets has to shift from merely providing basic services to creating and facilitating an environment suitable for achieving sustainable development. If the emphasis of municipal spending does not change, governments will find it difficult to achieve the sustainable development goals.