It has been two weeks and a couple of days since the nation went to the polls to elect local governments. The elections were held in an environment of largely collapsing service delivery, and much hope was placed on them as some sort of redemption of government at a level that should matter more than all.

The effectiveness of government or lack thereof is felt the most by citizenry at local level. It is the local government that is tasked with fixing potholes, street lights, supply of power and a plethora of other services that become all too apparent when a municipal falls dysfunctional...