The focus of the study was an exploration of the perceptions of secondary schools' principals about the effectiveness of school governing bodies in Ga-Rankuwa, Tshwane West District. The main research question was formulated as follows: What are the secondary schools' principals' perceptions about the effectiveness of school governing bodies in school governance? The main aims were to determine how the findings of the study could add to new knowledge about the effectiveness of school governing bodies in Ga-Rankuwa and to ascertain if the perceptions of secondary schools' principals play a role in the effective functioning of school governing bodies. A review literature worked a synthesis of perspectives on functions and roles of school governing bodies. The study examined the roles, functions of school governing bodies in selected developed, and developing countries and discussed in detail school governing bodies in the South African education system after 1994.