North West MEC for Local Government and Traditional Affairs, Paul Sebegoe says that his department has, as a direct response to the challenges identified in local government, developed a ward based service delivery improvement strategy focusing on improving municipal operations, service delivery and community involvement.
MEC Sebegoe’s assurance is in light of the National Council of Provinces’ Select Committee on Finance report tabled in Cape Town on Monday that painted a bleak picture of 10 North West municipalities’ finances.
Sebegoe said that his department has developed a local government turnaround strategy for prioritised municipalities that include Mamusa, Moses Kotane, Moretele, Mafikeng, Kgetleng Rivier, Ventersdorp, Tswaing, Ditsobotla, Matlosana and Maquassi Hills with a special focus on:
- revenue enhancement, debt and cash flow service management
- improved municipal governance and administration
- operations and maintenance of infrastructure
- improved municipal infrastructure planning and implementation.
While eagerly awaiting the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) Select Committee Report that highlighted the weak governance structures and lack of improvement at the 10 municipalities except at Kgetleng Rivier to consider its recommendations, MEC Sebegoe wishes to reiterate his department’s commitment to continue to execute its constitutional mandate of supporting municipalities by implementing a number of intervention programmes that are intended to improve performance at ailing municipalities.
Meanwhile, the provincial department is to host its first two days Local Government Ward Based Service Delivery Strategy Summit that is to commence on Thursday 2 February 2012 at the Rustenburg Civic Centre.
MEC Sebegoe says that the purpose of the summit is empower local government stakeholders on the implementation of the current ward based service delivery model and also engage on issues of private-public partnership to improve delivery of basic services at municipal level and the strategic Interventions required to improve the state of good governance and delivery of services in the future.
Enquiries:
Dineo Lolokwane
Cell: 072 542 8444
