South Africa’s municipalities sit at the frontline of service delivery — but many face persistent challenges. Auditor-General reports repeatedly flag gaps in financial governance, weak reporting capabilities, and delays in infrastructure rollouts. Add to that the difficulty of supporting small businesses without access to capital or track record, and the picture is one of both urgency and opportunity.

So, who steps in to help bridge these gaps? Increasingly, it’s not only government itself but also private sector players willing to go “beyond business as usual.”

One such player is Standard Bank, which has reshaped its approach to public sector engagement. Instead of simply providing accounts, loans, or investment services, the bank is aligning itself as a long-term partner to municipalities and governments.

Speaking on HOT Business with Jeremy Maggs, Timothy Matlala, Head of Public Sector, SA at Standard Bank Business and Commercial Banking explained how the bank is rethinking its role:

“Beyond banking for us is about bringing our expertise to the table, working alongside municipalities to help them strengthen governance, improve reporting, and ultimately move closer to clean audits.”

That means pairing seasoned bankers with practitioners from local government, combining financial know-how with on-the-ground insight. It also means creating enterprise and supplier development programmes that don’t just fund SMEs, but equip them with non-financial support to survive and grow.

Listen to Timothy’s interview on HOT Business with Jeremy Maggs below:

Infrastructure bottlenecks are tackled through sector-specific expertise in energy and large-scale projects — helping municipalities turn approved budgets into tangible delivery.

“We serve the sector that serves us. By being present in local communities, we connect with their challenges and can respond with insight and purpose.”

At the same time, Standard Bank is creating spaces for collaboration. The Public -Sector Symposium, for instance, brings municipal leaders together to share best practices, while its “Learning as a Service” programme has already helped over 300 municipal officials in 25 municipalities strengthen financial governance.

What stands out is the scale of ambition. By embedding itself into communities across all nine provinces, Standard Bank isn’t just talking about solutions — it’s building trust, sharing expertise, and showing how the private sector can play a meaningful role in driving South Africa forward.

Learn more about Standard Bank’s Public Sector solutions here.