Abstract
Apartheid, the policy according to which South Africa was ruled until 1994, proved unable to help the country develop in the new economic frame of globalization. It was based on racial segregation and deprived the majority of the population from basic political and economic freedoms. In 1994, when Nelson MANDELA became the first democratically-elected President of the country, not only did his government have to deal with administrative changes to democracy but also with an increased competition and liberalization in a global economy. Although it was much more modern and profitable than that of other African countries, South African economy suffered from discrepancies that existed between the regions, the rural areas being much poorer than the urban ones, and between people. Various administrative and political reforms took place, leading to a greater decentralization. Following the path of many other countries, both in Europe and in Africa, South Africa chose to make local governments more democratic and to give local authorities more power with respect to economic choicesc
