Functions and Public Services

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Functions and Public Services

Browse the full schedules of national, provincial, district-level and exclusive Local Authority functions set out in the 2023 policy.

This is national policy information for public understanding. It is broader than the areas currently included in TI-Z's monitoring dashboard.
Assigned in policy does not always mean fully transferred in practice

These schedules explain the intended constitutional and policy allocation of functions. The pace of devolution differs by function, and applicable legislation, resources, staffing and implementation decisions still matter.

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118 areas shown

The lists below include every function shown in the schedules to the 2023 National Decentralisation Policy.

National level

Exclusive national functions

Functions reserved for the national level under the Constitution.

30 functions
  1. Elections
  2. Foreign and international affairs
  3. Budget
  4. Taxation, including customs and excise
  5. Airports other than district airports
  6. Casinos, racing, gambling and wagering, excluding lotteries and sports pools
  7. Disaster management and public emergency
  8. National parks, national botanical gardens and resources
  9. National forests
  10. Passports and National Registration
  11. Prisons
  12. Refugees
  13. Registration of births and deaths
  14. Wildlife
  15. Water resources management
  16. Energy and hydro electricity
  17. Petroleum and lubricants
  18. Public roads
  19. Defence, security, maintenance of law and order
  20. Citizenship and immigration
  21. Public enterprises
  22. Regulation of commerce and manufacturing
  23. Road traffic regulation
  24. Land, mines, minerals and natural resources
  25. Census and statistics
  26. Traditional leadership
  27. National archives
  28. National libraries
  29. National museums
  30. Tertiary education
National + provincial

Concurrent national and provincial functions

Functions shared between national and provincial levels.

15 functions
  1. Cultural matters
  2. Health services
  3. Industrial promotion
  4. Language policy and regulation of official languages
  5. Parliamentary business
  6. Legislative procedures and processes
  7. Pollution control
  8. Property transfer tax
  9. Public transport
  10. Public works for the needs of provincial administration
  11. Provincial spatial planning and development
  12. Soil conservation
  13. Tourism, trade and commerce
  14. Investment
  15. Telecommunication
District level

Concurrent functions to be devolved to district level

National and provincial functions identified for performance at district level.

20 functions
  1. Administration of justice
  2. Legal affairs
  3. Administration of forests
  4. Agriculture
  5. Animal control and diseases
  6. Consumer protection
  7. Education at all levels excluding tertiary education
  8. Environmental management
  9. Housing
  10. Industrial promotion
  11. Nature conservation
  12. Population development
  13. Public procurement
  14. Soil conservation
  15. Urban and rural development
  16. Welfare services
  17. Industrial and labour relations
  18. Resettlement
  19. Tourism and trade
  20. Investment
Local Authority

Exclusive Local Authority functions

Functions assigned exclusively to Local Authorities under the Constitution and related law.

53 functions
  1. Pollution control
  2. Building regulations
  3. Child-care facilities
  4. Electricity
  5. Firefighting services
  6. Local tourism
  7. District airports, aerodromes and airships
  8. District planning
  9. District health services
  10. District public transport
  11. District public works needed for councils to administer districts
  12. Functions specifically assigned under the Constitution or other law
  13. Levies, tariffs and tolls
  14. Pontoons, ferries, jetties, piers and harbours, excluding national and international shipping regulation
  15. Storm-water management systems in built-up areas
  16. Trading
  17. Water and sanitation services, limited to potable water supply and domestic waste-water and sewage disposal systems
  18. Veterinary services, excluding regulation of the veterinary profession
  19. Vehicle licensing
  20. Abattoirs
  21. Ambulance services
  22. Archives
  23. Libraries
  24. Liquor licensing
  25. Museums
  26. Local spatial planning
  27. Cultural matters
  28. Recreation and amenities
  29. Sport
  30. Roads and traffic automation and maintenance
  31. Amusement facilities
  32. Billboards and display of advertisements in public places
  33. Cemeteries, funeral parlours and crematoria
  34. Local cleansing
  35. Control of public nuisances
  36. Control of undertakings that sell liquor to the public
  37. Facilities for the accommodation, care and burial of animals
  38. Fencing and fences
  39. Licensing of dogs
  40. Licensing and control of undertakings that sell food to the public
  41. Local amenities
  42. Local sport facilities
  43. Markets
  44. Local parks and recreation
  45. Local roads
  46. Noise pollution
  47. Pounds
  48. Public places
  49. Refuse removal, refuse dumps and solid-waste disposal
  50. Street trading
  51. Street lighting
  52. Traffic and parking
  53. Gardens and landscaping