The matter of the management of the finances of the municipalities remains at the heart of the nature of challenges experienced in service delivery. It is therefore critical that government reviews the intergovernmental fiscal system to improve coordination and long term planning to bring some predictability to local government delivery.
Gauteng Finance MEC, Mr Mandla Nkomfe will this Wednesday, 21 April 2010, address SALGA, Gauteng's Budget week as part of the response to the local government turnaround strategy adopted by cabinet in November 2009. Among others the strategy calls for improvement in national and provincial policy, oversight and support.
The strategy outlines an intervention framework that will see the mobilisation of society behind a programme to rebuild and restore confidence in local government. These will be to ensure that:
* There is improved planning and oversight of local government delivery
*Addressing the constitutional and legislative weaknesses in municipal governance specifically matters relating to the pace of delivery and the decision making process
* Establishment of a single window of coordination for local government, precisely to ensure that all spheres have the same view of plans, processes and ensure that challenges are identified in good time and interventions are also made in time and achieve the desired results.
The keynote address by MEC Nkomfe will focus on the key outcomes adopted by the executive council and reflected the 2010/11 budget tabled in the legislature last month. The MEC will also pay specific attention on the role of the three spheres of government in ensuring that there is greater coordination in delivery.
The Budget Focus week is expected to hold targeted discussions on the following topics:
* revenue enhancement and debt reduction, local government responses to the global economic crisis
* analysis of draft budgets
* local business tax
The Budget Focus week will take place as follows:
Date: 21 to 23 April 2010
Venue: Westrand district municipality
Time: 08h00 to 16h00
MEC Nkomfe will deliver the keynote address on day one of the meeting at 09h00.
Enquiries:
Khusela Sangoni
Cell: 079 510 5408
Issued by: Department of Finance, Gauteng Provincial Government
20 April 2010
