Media statement on the 1st MINMEC meeting of 2019
The Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), Dr Zweli Mkhize, today hosted the Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs MINMEC which discussed several matters affecting municipalities and traditional leadership.
In the MINMEC the Minister meets with MECs responsible for local government and traditional affairs, National House of Traditional Leaders and the SA Local Government Association amongst others to discuss matters that affect the sector.
Municipal infrastructure programme
The meeting discussed the municipal infrastructure programme and interventions in 57 distressed municipalities as part of the President’s stimula package.
The meeting was told that municipalities are not spending as much as they are expected to on their infrastructure capital expenditure and Minister Mkhize appealed to the MECs and their Heads of Department ensure that they have the necessary conversations with the identified municipalities.
“We need MECs to monitor all the spending on the grants so that we know where things stand and the patterns of spending. Provinces need to also submit the expenditure patterns on the grants with a view that they will have to go back and intervene where the spending is not up the expected levels,” said Dr Mkhize to ensure that spending is speeded up.”
The meeting was informed that the spending was way below expected and in some municipalities, was as low as 23 percent of the allocated funds especially with regard to the 57 municipalities that have been identified for support by Municipal Infrastructure Support Agent.
Guidelines on the application of section 139 of the Constitution
The Minister informed the meeting that the Department of Cooperative Governance developed the Guidelines on the application of Section 139.
The Guidelines provide steps to be taken in applying Section 139 to intervene in municipalities in distress and those that are dysfunctional. It also explains the objectives of Section 139 and its sub-sections.
The MINMEC was told that a number of provinces have a difficulty in applying section 139.
Guidelines have been developed to assist with substantive and procedural requirements when invoking Section 139 intervention;
- The Provincial Executive Council (PEC) may intervene in terms of Section 139 of the Constitution when a municipality cannot or does not fulfil an executive obligation in terms of the Constitution or legislation. The non-fulfilment of a single obligation is sufficient ground to invoke intervention.
- The main criterion or test is when a municipality is unable, incapable or unwilling to fulfil an executive obligation;
- The Guidelines provide circumstances in which an administrator can be deployed in a municipality;
Rapid Response Task Teams
MINMEC was briefed about the appointment by Cabinet of a Rapid Response Service Delivery Task Team team to ensure that teams go out to hotspots and ensure that the work that needs to be done there gets underway immediately. The team is led by CoGTA.
The RRTT is mandated to;
- Fast-track service delivery in areas where there are bottlenecks and
- Quickly respond to areas where there are service delivery problems.
The hotspots have been identified as:
Free State: Maluti a Phufong, Letsemeng and Mangaung
- Eastern Cape: Buffalo City, Nelson Mandela Bay, King Sabata Dalindyebo and Matatiele
- Limpopo: Giyani and Polokwane
- KwaZulu-Natal: eThekwini
- Western Cape: Cape Town and Paarl
- Gauteng: Merafong, West Rand, Tshwane, Ekurhuleni, Emfuleni and Gauteng Housing
- North west: Distressed Mining areas, Mahikeng, North West Mining Towns and Matlosana
- Mpumalanga: Mbombela and Gert Sibande
Inter-ministerial Task Team on electricity reticulation, distribution and monies owed to water trading entity and water boards.
The meeting received an update on status of implementation plans for the recommendations of the advisory panel and the Inter Ministerial Task Team on electricity reticulation, distribution and monies owed to water trading entity and water boards.
The powers and functions of traditional leaders
The meeting deliberated on the powers and functions of traditional leaders. These include issues around settlement of civil disputes, claims and traditional courts, promotion of African languages, culture and tradition. This matter will be discussed in detail in the future meetings.
National COGTA was requested direction as there was a misinterpretation of the notion of headmen and headwomen.
A Task Team comprising of the National Department of Traditional Affairs, KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, National House of Traditional Leaders and the Remuneration Commission has been established to come up with policy proposals. The Task Team developed a Draft Discussion Document, which will be consulted upon with all the stakeholders.
Report on Integrated Urban Development Framework
The meeting considered the plan of implementation on the outcomes of IUDF conference and progress made so far. There is also a proposal to convene a summit in October this year to take the implementation of the IUDF forward. A national urban forum will also be established to monitor the implementation of the IUDF and ensure inclusion of various partners – government, private sector, research institutions and civil society.
National Disaster Management Drought Update
The National Disaster Management Centre provided an update on drought situation. It indicated that all district municipalities in the Western Cape still show drought conditions
Areas in the Eastern Cape, including the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Area, areas in Sarah Baartman, Amathole and O.R Tambo district municipalities indicate severe and extreme drought conditions.
Limpopo shows substantial areas of severe and extreme drought in Sekhukhune, Waterberg, Capricorn and Mopani district municipalities
Presidential Campaign for a Safer and Cleaner South Africa
Minister Mkhize urged MECs and SALGA to ensure that all municipalities participate actively in the Presidential Campaign for a Safer and Cleaner South Africa.
Premiers were briefed about the campaign at the meeting of the President’s Coordinating Council in September last year.
The campaign is spearheaded by the Department of Environmental Affairs and the President is scheduled to launch the campaign on the 8th of March in East London.
The programme is aimed at:
- Promoting environmental actions that take into consideration sustainable living practices
- To ensure that South Africa remains free from litter and illegal dumps
- To keep public spaces clean and tidy
- Address issues of unemployment though youth and woman recycling initiatives.
Election readiness
The meeting received a report from the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) and was assured that all the plans are underway for a successful National and Provincial election which is scheduled for 8th May 2019. With regards to voter registration, the IEC indicated that:
Special voter registration drives for students were undertaken on campuses from 7 to 22 February
- Overseas registration took place on 1 to 4 February
- Prisoner registration took place between 22 to 23 January
- A provision has been made for 1059 temporary voting stations
The meeting resolved that COGTA should support the IEC wherever possible especially with regard to by-elections.
Enquiries:
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