Municipalities have had to face transformation on a scale that is unparalleled in the history of local government in South Africa. In his book, Kelvin Barichievy examines some of the major changes confronting municipalities, in particular, his research focuses on participatory governance, and the impact the democratic requirements have on the efficiency of the decision-making processes. He explores the significance of these reforms through case studies of four municipalities. The research has produced sufficient proof to confirm the existence of tension between achieving greater democracy and...