This book was born of a demand from academics, practitioners and students for an authoritative work on the subject of financial management with a South African background and covers all aspects of finance, both at central and local government level. The approach followed is normative/descriptive, and the content is presented in a universally applicable manner. Experts in the field will find the work indispensable, and members of municipal councils and legislative authorities, officials and members of the public who take an interest in central and local government affairs, will find it most instructive.