Every public institution is created to provide public goods and services. For the provision of those goods and services, appropriate functions must be performed. This means that every public institution is identified and characterised, among other things, by its functional activities. The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa of 1996 entrenches specific powers and functions applicable to all municipalities in the state. The same provision is made in Chapter 5 of the Local Government Municipal Structures Act 117 of 1998 as well as Chapter 3 of the Local Government Municipal Systems Act 32 of 2000. However, local authorities have over long periods assumed functions which are of a wider nature - sometimes for historical reasons and at other times from sheer force of circumstances. Since the inception of democracy in South Africa, historical reasons and force of circumstances have found local government at the edge of ensuring the