Deputy Minister Masemola Concludes Strategic Intergovernmental Outreach in Vhembe
The Deputy Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), Dr. Namane Dickson Masemola, today led a strategic intergovernmental outreach in the largest District in Limpopo Province, Vhembe, aimed at enhancing accountability and monitoring across local municipalities. The engagement was with the District and its local (Musina; Mashadi; Thulamela; Collins Chabane) municipalities.
He was joined by Mr. Basikopo Makamu, MEC for Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs (COGHSTA), and Mr. Ernest Rachoene, MEC for Public Works, Roads and Infrastructure, serving as the District Development Model (DDM) Champion.
This engagement aligns with Section 154 of the Constitution, which mandates national and provincial support to strengthen municipal capacity.
Our communities deserve effective and efficient functioning Municipalities in line with our theme, “Every Municipality Must Work”.
This outreach forms part of a national initiative to strengthen local government performance and service delivery.
“We are here to to see first hand if the equitable share disbursed by CoGTA is indeed benefiting communities as planned. Through this visit today, we are also heightening accountability ecosystem”, said Deputy Minister Masemola.
He commended municipalities demonstrating sound governance, particularly those with no unauthorised, irregular, fruitless, or wasteful expenditure.
With 3x municipalities in the District having adopted unfunded budgets, he cautioned against this unlawful practice. He emphasised that unfunded budgets, over-reliance on consultants, and poor implementation of post-audit action plans will have a negative impact on municipalities. He also stressed the importance of functional governance structures, especially Municipal Public Accounts Committees (MPACs). He called on municipalities to get their houses in order by ensuring efficient billing systems which reflect the services rendered to communities. The economic development in municipalities is important and Deputy Minister emphasised the development and implementation of LED strategies. Where poverty has rooted itself in communities, municipalities should ensure that they have credible indigent registers.
Dr. Masemola further highlighted the ongoing review of the White Paper on Local Government, advocating for the professionalisation of the sector and meaningful inclusion of traditional leaders in municipal councils.
MEC Makamu presented a performance overview of the Vhembe District, covering:
- Audit outcomes
- Municipal Infrastructure
- Grant (MIG) expenditure
- Senior management appointments
- Waste management
- Local economic development (LED)
He noted that no municipality in the district has achieved a clean audit in the past five years, with regression by two municipalities. While all municipalities have adopted Integrated Development Plans (IDPs), there are only three LED strategies approved by the respective municipalities.
MEC Rachoene emphasized the DDM’s role in promoting integrated planning and breaking down governance silos.
Traditional leaders, led by Hosi Bongeni G, and Cllr. Shadrack Maluleke of SALGA, endorsed the outreach as a vital platform for collaborative problem-solving. Key challenges raised included shortage of water and failing road infrastructure.
A consolidated report will be consolidated, outlining priority areas and assigning responsibilities to ensure implementation.
The Deputy Minister promised to return to Vhembe District to assess implementation of the agreed actions/tasks.
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