Minister Richard Baloyi of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) has today, 16 March 2013 started his visits to provinces in the Northern Cape where he convened a cooperative governance forum to reflect on the current state of local government in the province amid national assessments of municipalities by CoGTA.
The cooperative governance forum includes premiers, MECs, mayors, directors-general, heads of departments, municipal managers, business community and traditional institutions.
Forum participants discuss pertinent approaches to supporting municipalities and promote good relations among role players which is critical for a successful implementation of a turn-around strategy for municipalities.
Minister told the forum in Kimberly that 2014 is a year of accountability where all role players need to report whether Local Government Turn Around Strategy (LGTAS) was successful in changing the status of municipalities as was diagnosed in 2009.
Minister Baloyi said CoGTA was on the final stages of compiling a report which will highlight areas that have improved or remained the same since the turn-around strategy for municipalities was adopted by the cabinet.
As outlined by the Minister today at the Northern Cape cooperative governance forum, CoGTA is assessing municipalities on the following standards to determine their status and response to LGTAS intervention:
- level of municipal services delivery;
- existence and standard of good governance structures;
- status of financial management;
- maintenance of municipal infrastructure and development of new ones; and
- capabilities of fighting corruption by municipalities.
Cooperative governance forums will be convened in other provinces to promote intergovernmental relations and effective engagement by all role players in the implementation of the LGTAS.
