On 12 January 2023, GGA's Pranish Desai spoke to Radio 702's Thabo Shole-Mashao on the impact of corruption and financial mismanagement on local governance in South Africa. Listen below:...
Pranish Desai
Pranish Desai is a doctoral student in political science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His core areas of focus are in comparative politics and political methodology, with a specific interest in the politics of Southern Africa. Between 2021 and 2024, Pranish held several key positions within the Governance Insights and Analytics programme at GGA. In these roles, he was centrally responsible for the elevation and enhancement of the Governance Performance Index as GGA's flagship governance assessment tool. Before departing GGA, Pranish also played a key role in the development of our strategic framework for the 2024-2028 period.
ANC conference: Phala Phala must not detract from critical governance issues
On 22 November, the head of the African National Congress’s (ANC’s) electoral committee, former president Kgalema Motlanthe, announced the procedures and results of branch nominations for the party’s top six positions ahead of the party’s 55th National Conference, due...
The private sector can help ensure local-level stability in South Africa
At the forefront of debates about the functioning of local government in South Africa is a question of stability. This discourse is understandably dominated by the attention given to political aspects of instability in metropolitan councils. These emphasise the role...
The role of local governance in achieving political stability
Improving local governments’ performance is vital because it is the governance sphere that is closest to local communities, local businesses, and local economic activities. It is in the best interest of companies operating in municipalities to play an active role in...
GGA’s Pranish Desai on political issues in metropolitan councils.
GGA's Pranish Desai was recently interviewed by Newzroom Afrika. The topic related to ongoing political issues within the City of Johannesburg metropolitan council and the consequences this has had for service delivery in the city. Watch below: ...
South African politics: Uncertainty prevails
At the time of last year’s local government elections, it appeared we were at the end of a political age in South Africa. Since then, however, little evidence has emerged to suggest that this was, or is, the case. It is November 2022, and the African National...
Governance measurement in Africa gets more refined
Last month, the World Bank’s Worldwide Governance Indicators project released an update of their composite measures of governance performance. There have been more than 20 updates to the project since it began with the entire database stretching back to 1996. The...
New local councils must prioritise indigent households
A key takeaway from the recently published Non-Financial Census of Municipalities (NFCM) is the need for the nation’s newly elected local government councils to prioritise service delivery provision for indigent households. Statistics South Africa publishes the report...
Surviving childhood in Africa
A persistent theme within commentary on policymaking across Africa is an emphasis on the “negative lessons” we can draw from policymaking failures. Questions are asked about what led to the negative consequences of policy on issues such as youth unemployment or corruption, with these policymaking deficiencies used as an example of what policymakers should not do.
GGA’s Pranish Desai on the state of local government in South Africa
Following the release of the latest Auditor General report into the state of municipal finance, GGA's Pranish Desai spoke with SAfm about what is needed to improve the state of local governance in South Africa. Listen below: ...
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Pranish Desai
Pranish Desai is a doctoral student in political science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His core areas of focus are in comparative politics and political methodology, with a specific interest in the politics of Southern Africa. Between 2021 and 2024, Pranish held several key positions within the Governance Insights and Analytics programme at GGA. In these roles, he was centrally responsible for the elevation and enhancement of the Governance Performance Index as GGA's flagship governance assessment tool. Before departing GGA, Pranish also played a key role in the development of our strategic framework for the 2024-2028 period.
GGA’s Pranish Desai on corruption in local government
On 12 January 2023, GGA's Pranish Desai spoke to Radio 702's Thabo Shole-Mashao on the impact of corruption and financial mismanagement on local governance in South Africa. Listen below:...
ANC conference: Phala Phala must not detract from critical governance issues
On 22 November, the head of the African National Congress’s (ANC’s) electoral committee, former president Kgalema Motlanthe, announced the procedures and results of branch nominations for the party’s top six positions ahead of the party’s 55th National Conference, due...
The private sector can help ensure local-level stability in South Africa
At the forefront of debates about the functioning of local government in South Africa is a question of stability. This discourse is understandably dominated by the attention given to political aspects of instability in metropolitan councils. These emphasise the role...
The role of local governance in achieving political stability
Improving local governments’ performance is vital because it is the governance sphere that is closest to local communities, local businesses, and local economic activities. It is in the best interest of companies operating in municipalities to play an active role in...
GGA’s Pranish Desai on political issues in metropolitan councils.
GGA's Pranish Desai was recently interviewed by Newzroom Afrika. The topic related to ongoing political issues within the City of Johannesburg metropolitan council and the consequences this has had for service delivery in the city. Watch below: ...
South African politics: Uncertainty prevails
At the time of last year’s local government elections, it appeared we were at the end of a political age in South Africa. Since then, however, little evidence has emerged to suggest that this was, or is, the case. It is November 2022, and the African National...
Governance measurement in Africa gets more refined
Last month, the World Bank’s Worldwide Governance Indicators project released an update of their composite measures of governance performance. There have been more than 20 updates to the project since it began with the entire database stretching back to 1996. The...
New local councils must prioritise indigent households
A key takeaway from the recently published Non-Financial Census of Municipalities (NFCM) is the need for the nation’s newly elected local government councils to prioritise service delivery provision for indigent households. Statistics South Africa publishes the report...
Surviving childhood in Africa
A persistent theme within commentary on policymaking across Africa is an emphasis on the “negative lessons” we can draw from policymaking failures. Questions are asked about what led to the negative consequences of policy on issues such as youth unemployment or corruption, with these policymaking deficiencies used as an example of what policymakers should not do.
GGA’s Pranish Desai on the state of local government in South Africa
Following the release of the latest Auditor General report into the state of municipal finance, GGA's Pranish Desai spoke with SAfm about what is needed to improve the state of local governance in South Africa. Listen below: ...