South AfricaZA

Article 156 of the Constitution of South Africa

Article
156
Chapter
CHAPTER 6 — PROVINCES
Index row title
(1) A municipality has executive authority in respect of, and has the right to administer—
Source document
The South Africa Constitution
Provision ID
23e7f468-91e2-4583-b5d6-9e5fe40ac226

206 words

Verbatim text

(a) the local government matters listed in Part B of Schedule 4 and Part B of Schedule 5; and (b) any other matter assigned to it by national or provincial legislation. (2) A municipality may make and administer by-laws for the effective administration of the matters which it has the right to administer. (3) Subject to section 151(4), a by-law that conflicts with national or provincial legislation is invalid. If there is a conflict between a bylaw and national or provincial legislation that is inoperative because of a conflict referred to in section 149, the by-law must be regarded as valid for as long as that legislation is inoperative. (4) The national government and provincial governments must assign to a municipality, by agreement and subject to any conditions, the administration of a matter listed in Part A of Schedule 4 or Part A of Schedule 5 which necessarily relates to local government, if—Chapter 7: Local Government (a) that matter would most effectively be administered locally; and (b) the municipality has the capacity to administer it. (5) A municipality has the right to exercise any power concerning a matter reasonably necessary for, or incidental to, the effective performance of its functions. Composition and election of Municipal Councils

What this means

  • The index files this text under article 156 of the Constitution of South Africa.
  • The index files it under the chapter heading “CHAPTER 6 — PROVINCES”.
  • The passage runs to about 206 words.

The row’s stored title is a body fragment, not a heading (“(1) A municipality has executive authority in respect of, and has the right to administer—”), so it is not used as the provision’s title here.

The index gives this passage an article number but stores a body fragment where a heading would be, so the number could not be cross-checked against the text. Check it against the official Constitution before relying on it in a citation.

No rights vocabulary from our fixed word list appears in this passage, so no plain-language reading is offered for it.

This is a mechanical reading aid generated from the text above by matching words in it. It is not legal advice, not a lawyer’s interpretation, and not a substitute for the provision itself.

How to cite this

Constitution of South Africa, article 156, Portable Lawyer, https://www.portablelawyer.app/provision/23e7f468-91e2-4583-b5d6-9e5fe40ac226 (accessed 25 October 2026).

Canonical URL: https://www.portablelawyer.app/provision/23e7f468-91e2-4583-b5d6-9e5fe40ac226

Accessed 25 October 2026.

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