Address by Minister of Traditional Affairs and Cooperative Governance Mr Pravin Gordhan, 7th Africities Summit Closing Ceremony, Johannesburg
Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma,
Fellow Ministers, Deputy Ministers,
The newly appointed president of the UCLG-A, Mayor Sall
SALGA Executive Committee,
Mayors,
Traditional leaders,
Development partners
Ladies and gentlemen,
Good day
On behalf of President Zuma and my colleague Minister Radebe, it is a pleasure to help you to conclude what has been an interesting few days. We have had very intensive discussions, and the opportunity to map the way forward, not only in terms of Agenda 2063, but for local government on the African continent.
We engaged, all driven by one common agenda, on the need to build an integrated, prosperous, and people-driven Africa. We are also beginning to appreciate that local government does not exist in isolation. Local government is part of the governmental system. In all of our countries we will have national government, some form of regional government and some form of local govt. We are acknowledging that we are moving into a new phase of state building on the African continent, a state that will ensure we promote inclusive growth and better development prospects for all of our people.
It is crucial that as we conclude, the next step must ensure that through the help of the African Union, guided by the Charter that we all supported today, we give local government original powers in a clearly defined legal framework. This will give certainty about the manner in which local governance and involvement of local communities will be ensured, for decades to come.
We are also learning that not all municipalities will have the same capabilities immediately. So we have to look amongst ourselves at the issue of asymmetry and the important lessons we have learnt on this matter.
Decentralisation is not an end in itself. The accompanying resources and decision-making powers are meant for delivery of quality services to our people. Ensuring inclusive development should be the broader objective.
Article 4 of the African Charter on the Values and Principles of Decentralisation, Local Governance and Local Government, outlines a key set of values that we should continuously and consciously remind ourselves of namely: Community- based participation and inclusiveness; Solidarity; Respect for human and people’s rights; Diversity and tolerance; Justice, equality and equity; Integrity; Civic responsibility and citizenship; Transparency and accountability, and above all, responsiveness. When people have difficulties and challenges, we as governmental authorities need to respond effectively.
As part of the system of governance we should encourage the importance of collaboration and cooperative governance amongst ourselves within our countries, and begin to develop African partnerships between different levels of government and civil society and other partners that would enable us to take local government into a new level. The objectives outlined in Article 2 of the Charter can only be achieved if we work together.
In conclusion, let me thank all of you for the privilege of South Africa and the City of Joburg to host this very important event. We congratulate the City of Johannesburg, its Mayor and the team for making all of us proud and making South Africa proud by successfully hosting this conference. Can I ask you to congratulate them.
I want to congratulate the new leadership of the UCLGA. They have got their work cut out for the next few years, in terms of formalising many of the processes, but also importantly inspiring the transformation process and programme within the African continent.
We have demonstrated in some ways the beginning of unity in action. Unity does not only happen in paper. It is when we work together in the interest of our people and in the interest of the continent in concrete terms that we build trust, we build confidence in each other and we build unity of purpose and action amongst each other as well. And I look forward to all of us working together in that particular regard.
We have vision 2063, a 10 year plan to implement that vision, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for 2030, we will have the working results of COP 21 soon, we have this new charter for local government and indeed as we have been saying today, the time has come for effective implementation and less talking and more doing.
Now as the second last male to speak on this platform, I want all the Males if you agree, and kindly cooperate with me to applaud all the women in the audience for the fantastic work they are doing.
On behalf of South Africa and the people of South Africa we bid you farewell. We hope you travel well back to your home countries, but more importantly before you leave, please help our economy and do a bit more shopping.
Thank you very much.
