The 7th Administration’s first Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) MinMec meeting, convened today by Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa, was a special one ahead of the vote 3 & 15 budget vote debate.
The Minister congratulated all MECs on their appointment and urged strong partnership to achieve the targets we set ourselves to achieve in this 7th administration. CoGTA is an important department as it ensures collaboration, coordination and cooperation across all sectors and thus shaping to the direction of our country.
As we write the new chapter of the CoGTA sector, we must now stop lamenting and urgently work to inject the much needed energy into turning around municipalities that are experiencing challenges and thus unable to deliver on their mandate. It is unfair to have our communities leaving in an environment which is not conducive for their development.
In the agenda item of the Budget Vote, the meeting noted all the preparations ahead of the debate. The Ministry of CoGTA is allocated 30 minutes for the presentation during the debate.
On the Standard Transfer Specification (STS) and Token Identifier (TID) Rollover project, the meeting had an extensive discussion and urged municipalities across the country to prioritize this important project.
STS is the global standard for transferring electricity, used worldwide. In South Africa, over 12 million prepaid meters use this system. These meters have a 31-year lifespan and require a software update before 24 November 2024. After this date, all STS-based prepaid meters will stop dispensing electricity unless they are updated/reset before the TID rollover deadline. Municipalities must thus reset all their prepayment meters through the generation or issuing of key change tokens.
MinMec has committed to prioritizing and assisting in the implementation of decisions to ensure the success of the rollover. Municipalities have also been urged to raise awareness about this software change, as it poses a high risk; if meters are not converted, electricity will not be dispensed. More than 1.4 million meters still need to be urgently converted before the deadline. Currently, 14 municipalities are red-flagged as they are far from achieving the target.
The following municipalities are at different levels of progress due to various reasons: Jouberton, Alabama, Matlosana, Mogalakwena, Thabazimbi, Nelson Mandela Bay, Maluti A Phofung, King Sabata Dalindyebo, Koukama, Makana, Siyathemba, Kai Garib, Kgatelopele, Thembelihle, Emfuleni, and Emadlangeni.
MinMec has called for vigorous action to meet the deadline by October so that the remaining days before the November deadline are used to ensure the system operates without glitches. Failing to address these conversion issues could lead to a crisis. MinMec urged that all Cooperative Governance levers and instruments must be engaged so as to act swiftly to address the challenges faced by municipalities who are falling behind target for conversions.
MinMec resolved that the STS and TID Rollover project should remain a standing item on its agenda.
In conclusion, the Minister appreciated the level of expertise and experience in the sector and urged that this be translated into serving our communities better. In this context, Minister emphasised that the 7th administration should bring to an end what is becoming a bad culture of failures in the sector and turn things around for the better.
Minister Hlabisa also urged for strong partnership to achieve the targets set by the 7th administration which are meant to end the prevailing negative trends and effect positive change.
The meeting ended with a commitment from all the leadership in the CoGTA sector to work together to speedily change the lives of communities for the better.
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Mr. Legadima Leso: 0664799904
*Note to editors* : “MinMec” refers to a standing intergovernmental body consisting of at least a Cabinet member and members of the provincial Executive Councils responsible for functional areas similar to those of the Cabinet member. This COGTA MinMec of the 10th of July 2024 was a special meeting ahead of the *CoGTA Budget Vote scheduled for 16 July 2024.*
