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In South Africa, more than a million children under five are not enrolled in any formal early learning programme. The consequences are serious: without strong early foundations, children are less likely to succeed in school and far less likely to break free from the cycle of poverty.

National policy recognises this. The National Integrated ECD Policy makes it clear that Early Childhood Development (ECD) is a shared responsibility — and municipalities have a critical role to play. Their mandate goes beyond compliance: they are expected to support access to quality ECD through health and safety oversight, land-use planning, infrastructure development, and local budget allocation.

In Knysna, the municipality has made some important contributions. Health officials conduct site inspections and issue essential certificates — for health (R270), food (R710), and fire safety (R550) — which are required for centres to operate legally and access government subsidies. ECD centres can also apply annually for a small Grant-in-Aid (around R5,000), and the municipality has occasionally provided training in computer literacy and basic fire safety, along with fire equipment. During local emergencies, such as droughts or fires, they’ve stepped in with water trucks and food parcels. Some ward councillors have also supported ECD centres in their wards with feeding schemes or small upgrades.

But if we are serious about giving every child in Knysna a fair start, much more is needed.

For one, the cost of compliance is a real barrier. Despite ongoing advocacy, certificate fees have not been waived. Then there’s the land issue. While the municipality once allocated land for ECD development, this has all but stopped. Most centres now operate from people’s homes, not by choice, but because no land is zoned or made available for early learning. In some cases, ECD sites were given letters confirming land allocation or zoning certificates, only to be told later that no records existed or the process had been suspended for “political reasons.”

Engagement is also inconsistent. Municipal representatives are regularly invited to AGMs and sector meetings but rarely attend — missing valuable opportunities to understand the needs on the ground. Even symbolic gestures can fall short. In one instance, the municipality pledged to assist three centres on Mandela Day, only to withdraw at the last moment. KET had to step in and find the resources to honour the commitment we had already communicated to those centres.

This is not about blame. Municipalities face their own constraints and there are individuals within the institution that really try their best (or at least have the best intentions). But systemically it is unacceptable that ECD — a service so fundamental to the future of our children and communities — remains marginal in local governance.

If we truly want to break cycles of poverty and invest in long-term change, ECD must be visible in municipal budgets, prioritised in Integrated Development Plans (IDPs), and supported through practical, ongoing collaboration. This includes easing the burden of compliance fees, unlocking land and facilities for ECD use, and simply showing up — not just in times of crisis, but in the everyday work of building better futures.

Knysna has made real progress in expanding access to ECD — often with limited resources and uneven support. Imagine what more could be achieved if municipalities embraced their role not just as gatekeepers, but as genuine partners in early childhood development.