Western Cape Cabinet approves the introduction of the Western Cape Monitoring and Support of Municipalities Amendment Bill 2023 to the Provincial Parliament.
“We will continue to improve and refine the tools at our disposal to provide support and oversight to local governments in the Western Cape,” Anton Bredell, Western Cape MEC of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning said. This was in response to the provincial cabinet’s recent approval to present the Western Cape Monitoring and Support of Municipalities Amendment Bill 2023 (Amendment Bill) to the provincial parliament.
MEC Bredell said that experience has taught the provincial Department of Local Government that the earlier support and corrective measures are introduced to troubled municipalities, the more likely it was to save such a municipality from complete collapse. However, this fact is often complicated by the independence of the three spheres of government, as protected by the Constitution, which often frustrates national and provincial efforts to step in when things go wrong at a local government level. Once service delivery and accounting structures have been destroyed, it is very difficult to rebuild systems to function optimally again. In the Western Cape we set very high standards for local governments, so it is crucial to have the ability to intervene and provide support as quickly as possible.
The Amendment Bill is therefore focussed on improving provincial support and oversight in local governments in 5 key areas:
- It sets out the legal framework for proactive monitoring of municipalities for early detection of fraught, corruption, maladministration, and other serious malpractices.
- The Amendment Bill strengthens the ability of the Department of Local Government to provide support to municipalities.
- The Amendment Bill strengthens the Department of Local Government’s ability to gain access to information required to conduct investigations and assessments.
- The Amendment Bill makes provision for municipal councils to conduct preliminary assessments where there are allegations that a municipality does not fulfil its legal obligations. This includes preliminary assessments into allegations of maladministration, fraud, corruption, or any other malpractice.
- The Amendment Bill aims to reduce red tape and refine technical provisions in the principal Act.
“Quality service delivery to the residents of the Western Cape remains a priority of this administration, and local governments are where many of these services are delivered. The Amendment Bill is an important tool in this regard and will enhance our ability to respond timeously to the needs of municipalities,” MEC Bredell said.
Contact:
Wouter Kriel - Spokesperson for MEC Anton Bredell
Western Cape MEC of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning
Cell: 079 694 3085
Email: Wouter.kriel@westerncape.gov.za
