The North West MEC for Local Government and Traditional Affairs Paul Sebegoe has today called on municipalities to embark on a robust renewed commitment for service delivery to all communities in the North West Province. This he said today when addressing Executive Mayors, Mayors, Councilors, Municipal Managers and departmental practitioners during the 1st MuniMEC held at Mmabatho Palms.
MuniMEC has been effectively established to ensure that we strengthen the interaction and engagement between Municipalities and the department particularly on issues of service delivery and will constantly be held bi-monthly. “We should begin to have a paradigm shift in the improvement of the state of governance within Municipalities in the North West Province said MEC Sebegoe”.
Some of the critical and urgent matters discussed amongst others entail:
- State of Municipal demarcations and boundaries
- AG’s findings on municipal financial management and performance in the province
- Establishment of Municipal Public Accounts Committee (MPAC).
He emphatically, pointed out to the gloomy picture which is painted by the Auditor General’s Report, which effectively places the province in an unimpressive situation, however he cited that a lot has to be done to extricate the Province’s Municipalities in that dire situation and that the department re-commits to take a lead in ensuring that we drive and achieve the Operation Clean Audit 2014. Emanating from the discussion on key issues are resolutions undertaken as follows:
- That immediate engagements on matters of the Municipal Demarcation Board should continue between now and 15 December 2011 going forward, so that all affected stakeholders must make submission to the Municipal Demarcation Board within the time-frame stipulated
- The department will facilitate engagement of these processes to ensure that it is more interactive, consultative and transparent in the interest of all stakeholders and that the Inter-Governmental Forum must engage on such inputs for consideration by the Municipal Demarcation Board.
- That Councils will facilitate sittings for purpose of establishment of Municipal Public Accounts Committee (MPAC) and the department will facilitate Workshop to capacitate those Councillors nominated to serve in the MPAC.
- The functionality of Audit Committees at Municipal levels be revived and there should be constant monitoring of financial performance during the audit circle.
- Compliance in respect of predetermined objectives, should be the order of the day to avoid good governance and management of public funds being compromised
“Consequently, there is a dire need for political tone setting in the Municipalities and commitment by Municipal Managers to gear the administration machinery for challenges that lie ahead. It remains pivotal that the situation be turned around in the interest of service delivery and good governance, MEC Sebegoe said.
MEC Sebegoe concluded by emphasising the fact that a major challenge the province is faced with is to restore lost confidence in the system of local government as well as instilling trust and meeting the expectations of our people in government service-offering at large. “I am confident that the new team of Councillors tasked with a huge responsibility of confronting head-on the challenges and complexities facing local government in the province will efficiently and effectively conquer them,” he concluded.
Further enquiries:
Dineo Lolokwane
Cell: 072 542 8444
