Good governance is both a goal and a process. It only can help us find solutions to poverty, inequality and insecurity. It creates an environment in which civil organisations, business community, private citizens and other institutions can assume ownership of the process of city development and the management of their own communities.

The term ‘Governance’ is derived from the Greek word ‘kybernan’ and ‘kybernetes’. It means ‘to steer and to pilot or be at the helm of things’. While the term ‘government’ indicates a political unit for the function of policy making as distinguished from the administration of policies, the word ‘governance’ denotes an overall responsibility for both - the political and administrative functions. It also implies ensuring moral behaviour and ethical conduct in the task of governing, i.e., the continuous ethical exercise of authority on both the political and administrative units of governments.

There are three main regimes involved in good governance. They are the State, the Civil Society and the Private Sector. All three are critical for sustaining human development. Since each has got its weaknesses and strengths, a major objective of good governance is to promote highest possible constructive interaction among them in order to minimize individual weaknesses and utilize the strengths optimally. The intricate intercourse between and among these three domains will indicate the direction of the society’s economic and social flight path. The more integral, balanced and inter-dependant the three are the better it is for that society.

THE STATE provides the foundation of Equity, Justice and Peace, creating a conducive political and legal environment for development by:

• maintaining the rule of law;

• regulating socio-economic standards;

• developing social and physical infrastructure; and

• ensuring social safety nets and civic protection.

CIVIL SOCIETY provides the foundation of Liberty, Equality, Responsibility & Self-expression through:

• organising the communities;

• educating the communities;

• mobilizing groups to participate in the economic and social life of the city;

• facilitating political and social interaction;

• supporting solidarity actions and watch-dog functions; and

• fostering the cultures.

PRIVATE CORPORATE SECTOR provides the foundation of economic growth and development through:

• employment and income generation;

• production and trade;

• human resource development;

• service delivery; and

• setting, and constantly upgrading, corporate standards.

Governance is the cumulative impact that the interaction of the above three regimes in city’s political, economic and administrative domains will have on the life styles and living standards of its citizens. These regimes constitute the governance system through many different and complex mechanisms, institutions, and partners, processes and relationships which citizens use on daily basis to:

• articulate their needs, problems and aspirations;

• exercise their rights and duties;

• obtain redress or solutions; and

• mediate to maintain law, order and justice.

Good governance results in:

• The orderly organisation of the city’s predominant political thought, vision & action;

• The administration of events & processes leading to the realisation of the vision; and

• The maintenance of ethical rhythm and equity in the distribution of the fruits of realised vision to the satisfaction of all.