Pravin Gordhan’s “Back to Basics”: A Lasting Legacy for South African Governance

Pravin Gordhan, a prominent South African politician and anti-apartheid activist, championed the “Back to Basics” concept as a critical framework for improving governance in South Africa. This initiative, which he introduced during his tenure as Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, aimed to address systemic dysfunctions within municipalities and restore public confidence in local government.

Gordhan’s “Back to Basics” strategy, launched in 2014, was designed as a “strategic rebooting” of municipal government. It sought to move all municipalities out of a dysfunctional state. The core tenets of this approach focused on fundamental areas of governance:

• Putting people and their concerns first: Prioritizing citizen needs and engagement in service delivery.
• Supporting delivery of municipal services to the right quality and standard: Ensuring efficient and effective provision of essential services.
• Promoting good governance, transparency, and accountability: Upholding ethical conduct and responsible management.
• Ensuring sound financial management and accounting: Maintaining fiscal discipline and preventing corruption.
• Building institutional resilience and administrative capacity: Strengthening the ability of municipalities to function effectively. 

Gordhan’s commitment to this approach stemmed from his deep understanding of the need for a transformed local government system, as articulated in the 1998 White Paper on Local Government. He believed that the new democratic state had a mission to meet developmental objectives to create a better life for all. 

Despite the clear objectives and initial efforts, the auditor-general’s local government audit outcomes for 2021/22 revealed a disappointing picture. Persistent problems such as a lack of accountability from councillors, service delivery failures, weak institutional capacity, and instability had become commonplace.  This indicated that while the “Back to Basics” framework provided a sound theoretical foundation, its implementation faced significant challenges.

The enduring relevance of Gordhan’s “Back to Basics” concept is evident in contemporary discussions about South African governance. Even in 2026, calls to “go back to basics” are being made to address challenges like corruption and inequality, emphasizing the need to fix the public sector.  This underscores the timeless nature of the principles Gordhan advocated for and the continued necessity of adhering to fundamental governance practices for the effective functioning of the state.

Pravin Gordhan, who passed away in September 2024, was a key figure in battling state capture and corruption, consistently advocating for ethical governance and economic stability.  His “Back to Basics” initiative remains a crucial part of his legacy, offering a blueprint for restoring integrity and efficiency to South Africa’s local government. The ongoing challenges highlight that the only way out of the current predicament is to return to the foundational principles embedded in Gordhan’s “Back to Basics” approach.