The purpose of the Local Governance Programme is to promote and support democratic and participatory local government processes by:

• ensuring more effective forums for civil society participation in local governance are created;
• strengthening the establishment of a civil society network for monitoring good governance;
• monitoring and supporting the structures of local democracy in the local municipality;
• testing key performance indicators developed in selected municipalities in the Eastern Cape; and
• reviewing the functioning of municipalities for effectiveness.

The Local Governance Programme emphasises:

• Participatory democracy
• Good local governance
• Empowered civil society
• Information dissemination