INSIGHT | Good governance can see Dikeni reclaim its legacy

Dikeni holds a special place in SA’s intellectual and historical landscape. As the home of the University of Fort Hare, an institution that shaped some of Africa’s most influential leaders, the town carries a legacy of excellence. Yet today, that legacy is increasingly overshadowed by persistent service delivery failures that affect daily life and economic activity.

According to recent data, more than 40% of SA’s municipalities are in financial distress, while audit outcomes continue to reveal deep-rooted governance failures. The auditor-general has consistently reported that more than 70% of municipalities fail to implement effective consequence management, meaning poor performance is rarely addressed decisively. Statistics SA indicates that more than 20% of households experience regular water supply interruptions, while access to reliable sanitation and refuse removal remains inconsistent in many smaller towns.

In some municipalities, non-revenue water losses exceed 40%, meaning nearly half of treated water is lost through leaks, theft, or poor infrastructure. The country’s infrastructure maintenance backlog is estimated in the hundreds of billions of rand, further compounding service delivery challenges. In Dikeni, these statistics are not abstract, they are visible realities.