Cape Town is fighting the national government over a new law that centralizes control of how cities buy goods and services. The city says this law slows down emergency responses, cuts out local suppliers, and adds too much red tape, hurting local decisionmaking and public involvement. Cape Town argues the law breaks the Constitution’s promise to keep local governments independent and able to act quickly for their communities. The case now before the Constitutional Court will decide if cities like Cape Town can keep control or must follow strict national rules that may make governance slower and less flexible. This battle is about more than rules—it’s about the future of local democracy in South Africa.
