The MEC for Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Mr Norman Mokoena, has met with all Executive Mayors and Municipal Managers in the province. This meeting which was attended by all the Members of the Executive Council is part of the provincial Intergovernmental Relations Foras known as the MuniMec and it allows the MEC for Co-operative Governance and other Members of the Executive Council an opportunity to interact with the leadership of Local Government.
In his maiden address to the MuniMec, MEC Mokoena out lined what his expectations are to the municipalities. He said the renaming of the Department from Local Government to Co-operative Governance and Traditional Leadership means that more emphasis needs to put on working together.
"Going forward we need to make sure that we do away with working in silos, where you have municipalities clamouring for resources and using them individually, and in some cases not even using it all, where as working together would have made a bigger impact," said Mokeona. He further stressed that roll over would not be allowed, as there are still huge backlogs on infrastructure.
MEC Mokeona also outlined five "non negotiables" that the department would continuously monitor municipalities on, and they would be expected to report back on frequently. These are:
* compliance with legislation, policies and programmes as frameworks for the creation of job opportunities
* no roll overs-there must be expeditious rolling out of plans
* there must be increased, continuous and regular engagement with the public through the public participation foras
* promoting private public partnerships to enhance service delivery
* provision of services in a sustainable manner.
The MEC also urged municipalities to immediately develop plans to deal with problems that have hindered service delivery in programmes like Municipal Infrastructure Grant (MIG) where the spending was at 81% instead of 100% as at the end of April 2008, the roll out of Free Basic Electricity which is currently standing at 49% through out the province, the upgrading and maintaining of Waste Water Treatment Plants.
MEC Mokoena also condemned some of the unrest that has led to vandalising of public assets, violence used against our councillors, and arson to councillors' properties that has been seen in some municipalities notably in Ogies and Thaba Chweu. He urged municipalities to address these by having regular meetings with communities. He also stressed that though some of the cases are valid, there are also some cases of misconduct by some members of the communities disguising under the concerns of the communities. "We have spoken to the law enforcement agents to deal with these rogue characters" said Mokoena.
The fora also received presentations on progress on the roll out of the Water for All flagships, municipal status qou report, Municipal Infrastructure Grant, progress report on the roll out of free basic services, establishment of the Mpumalanga Water Sector forum and the Blue and Green Drop Certification programme.
Enquiries:
Simphiwe Kunene
Cell: 082 413 3931
Issued by: Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs
4 June 2009
