The City's manager, Trevor Fowler (Photo: Enoch Lehung, City of Johannesburg)

IN 2006, the City became a pilot project for a different model of local government. In that year, following local government elections on 1 March, Johannesburg's administration was radically overhauled to ensure a tighter and more focused core, unique among major South African cities.

At the time, the City recognised that the new term of office provided an opportunity to look at the efficacy of the current governance model, and to improve if where necessary.

Previously the offices of the executive mayor and the City manager were completely separate - the City manager headed up the administration while the executive mayor’s role was exclusively political. Under the new structure, the offices of the executive mayor and the City manager were merged to strengthen the implementing of political decisions.

The combined office ensures proper alignment of policy development, monitoring and evaluation, and alignment of programmes and initiatives with the political agenda of the executive mayor and the mayoral committee.

The City manager falls directly under the executive mayor. However, the City manager continues to head the administrative side of the municipality. He chairs the management team, the head of City administration.

The Office of the City Manager is made up of several key divisions. It is primarily responsible for strategy and policy, strategic research, integrated development planning, performance management and reporting, and high-level co-ordination of municipal entity oversight.

Another vital task is to keep sight of all 2010 Fifa World Cup™ planning and development requirements.