19 December 2006
A committee reviewing the powers and functions of local and provincial
government has identified thirteen priority functions that should be delegated
to municipalities.
The technical committee, chaired by the Gauteng Local Government MEC, Qedani
Mahlangu, and including Ekurhuleni Executive Mayor, Duma Nkosi, and City of
Johannesburg Executive, Mayor Amos Masondo, recommended that the functions
should be delegated only if municipalities had the capacity to perform
them.
Mahlangu said the technical committee had identified transport, housing,
health services, ambulance services, welfare services, early childhood
development, industrial promotion, trade, libraries, licensing, home affairs,
museums and pollution as key functions that should be ceded to
municipalities.
The review of powers and functions forms part and parcel of the Global City
Region perspective which promotes better co-ordination between the province and
municipalities.
"The report on powers and functions is the work of the political and
technical teams and the document has been forwarded to all government
departments, all fourteen municipalities in Gauteng including the Presidency
and the Department of Provincial and Local Government. We will get their
feedback on the report in due course," Mahlangu said.
She said her department would hold sectoral workshops in 2007 to determine
the functions that should be ceded to municipalities, whether partially or
fully, and which should remain with province.
"There are no holy cows in the review of powers and functions. For instance,
as we move towards the Global City Region, one critical function is transport.
For better co-ordination and integration here in Gauteng, we are talking about
the establishment of an integrated transport system instead of having six
transport authorities.
"For better administration of the economy, municipalities should not compete
unnecessarily. Better co-ordination between the province and municipalities and
among municipalities themselves is crucial in achieving the goals of a global
city region.
"For instance, Ekurhuleni Metro is strong in manufacturing sector, therefore
Tshwane and Johannesburg should not compete with Ekurhuleni. Instead they
should complement the region. Tshwane is strong in motor manufacturing and
Johannesburg is a commercial and banking hub," Mahlangu said.
She said it was important to assign functions that could be better performed
in local government to municipalities and the province should play a
co-ordination role.
Municipalities are responsible for collection of car licenses on behalf of
the province, yet they do not benefit. Such revenue can assist municipalities
to perform their functions and we believe this function should be assigned to
municipalities.
"Housing is another area where the three metros in the province should be
assigned the function of delivery of houses. It must be borne in mind that the
review of these powers and functions was necessitated by the need to improve
service delivery and to ensure better co-ordination and integration,"
Mahlangu said.
Enquiries:
Themba Sepotokele (Gauteng Department of Local Government)
Tel: (011) 355 5111
Cell: 082 490 9869
Issued by: Office of the Premier, Gauteng Provincial Government
19 December 2006
