The introduction of the SPS Bill in South Africa brought afresh speculations that the government was moving towards recentralisation after a period of 14 years of democracy. Assumptions are that the decentralisation policies adapted after the 1994 elections to enhance the quality and the effectiveness of public administration, have failed. Although developed and developing countries have shown a tendency towards decentralisation during recent decades, the present indications are that some governments are retracting these efforts and prudent steps are being taken towards centralisation. What was regarded as major advantages of decentralisation, are nowadays disputed issues.