Gidsplanne in die Bondsrepubliek van Duitsland: Toepassing in Suid Afrika

Abstract

The Federal Republic consists of eight states, each of which existed in a sovereign state prior to Germany's unification in the last half of the last century. Three of the states consist of the old Hansastede Berlin, Bremen and Hamburg, each with the full status of a federal state. In each federal state there are several ranges of subordinate authorities, arranged hierarchically of province (Bezirk), district (Kreise), and ward (Gemeinde). In the latter - comparable to the English county or European municipalities - there may be some villages, some of which also enjoy government status. This format, inherited from past centuries when communications were convenient and decentralized authority essential, seem totally unnecessary today. Each of the bodies has its own planning and administration functions. This article refers to the national level of government as the federal level while referring to the component states as federal states.
*This article is written in Afrikaans.