The 2011 Local Government Budgets and Expenditure Review workshop: KwaZulu-Natal Municipalities sharpened for better performance

National Treasury in collaboration with Provincial Treasury today summoned all the Municipality Managers, Mayors, and Chief Financial Officers under one roof in Pietermaritzburg to workshop and acclimatise them with the 2011 Local Government Budget and Expenditure Review that covers municipal spending and budgets for the periods 2006/07 to 2012/13. The review also covers both financial and nonfinancial information relating to key municipal functions.

The National Treasury team led by Chairperson, Mr Conrad Barberton (012 315 5008/9 talk to Jan Hattingh), outlined the challenges that the municipalities are faced with and emphasised the role the municipalities can play in supporting economic growth.

“This workshop serves to assist the municipalities and all who live in the province in evaluating future plans for critical municipal services such as water, sanitation, electricity, refuse removal, municipal transport, roads, community and recreational facilities” said Barberton.

Delivering a key note address at the workshop KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Finance, Ms Ina Cronjé emphasised the importance of all spheres of government to work together towards examining the impact that municipalities have had on their socio-economic environment. “As this review builds on two previous reviews the emerging trends that are surfacing is that ‘One Size Fits All’ approach to supporting municipalities does not work. As government we need to adapt to the changing environment and we require stronger provincial and national monitoring and greater public participation in council processes to improve on our service delivery” she said.

“The issue of the decline in the public trust that is raised in one of the chapters of the review is the most pressing challenge facing the local government. Mayors, councillors and Political Parties are increasingly held accountable by the public, who become frustrated with poor governance and corruption that result in poor service delivery,” Cronje said.

Whilst other officials from the municipalities used this opportunity to share their frustrations with the National and Provincial Treasury delegations, others applauded this initiative citing that it is paving a way towards improved service delivery in line with the mandates given to the councils in the 2011 local government elections.

“We could not find better words to thank Treasury for putting up a workshop of this nature that put together municipal administrators and political heads under one roof to clarify the roles and responsibilities as stipulated in Chapter seven of the Municipal Finance Management Act. This will assist us with toning down the frustration that comes with roles and responsibilities within the municipal administration. ” said uMngeni Municipality Mayor, Ms Mbali Myeni (083 233 6771).