The North West Department of Local Government and Traditional Affairs, has developed a turnaround strategy for eight municipalities previously identified as needing urgent and intensive support.
This was announced by the MEC for Local Government and Traditional Affairs, Gordon Kegakilwe, yesterday during his address at the South African Local Government Association (SALGA) EXCO Lekgotla held in Orkney.
MEC Kegakilwe said a turnaround strategy for the Ventersdorp, Tswaing, Lekwa-Teemane, Mamusa, Moretele, Maquassi Hills, Ketlengrivier and Naledi local municipalities will amongst others include assisting municipalities to develop their revenue enhancement programmes, filling of vacant posts and reviving record systems.
This intervention comes after a completion of an assessment of provincial municipalities on their five key performance areas which are:
- Institutional development and transformation
- Local economic development
- Financial management viability
- Good governance and community participation
- Local economic development.
“The assessments revealed amongst others, a lack of organisational development programme in certain municipalities, water and sanitation backlogs, an increase in informal settlements and non functioning ward committees,” he said.
MEC Kegakilwe appealed to SALGA members to commit to ensuring good governance in local government institutions.” I wish to appeal to all local government practitioners to ensure full functionality and effectiveness of all ward committees as well as a large scale of community participation in municipal activities,” he said.
He urged the Lekgotla to discuss methods to improve local government’s relationship with traditional leaders. “We need to find ways of how best to improve our relationship with traditional leaders and their involvement in local government, if we are to succeed in creating a developmental local government,” he concluded.
Enquiries:
Dineo Thapelo
Cell: 072 218 2559
