Question NW1215 to the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs

Reply:

1. The Ministry of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs established a forum of Ministers and MECs responsible for local government called ‘MINMEC’. This Forum is established in terms of Section 9(1) of the Intergovernmental Relations (IGR) Framework Act, Act No 13 of 2005.

2. (a) The membership of the MINMEC forum comprises of the following:

(i) Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs as the Chairperson of the Forum;

(ii) Deputy Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs;

(iii) Executives of the South African Local Government Association;

(iv) Chairpersons of the Select Committee and Portfolio Committee of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs; and

(v) Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson of the National House of Traditional Leaders.

(b) The MINMEC meets quarterly.

(c) This year the forum met on 22 February 2019, 19 June 2019 and 16 August 2019.

(d) The objectives of this Forum are as follows:

(i) To raise matters pertaining to the core mandate of COGTA affecting Cooperative Governance, provinces, local government and traditional leadership;

(ii) To discuss initiatives and facilitate inputs from provinces and organised local government to improve and align the coordination of planning efforts across the three spheres of government;

(iii) To consult provincial governments, organised local government, sector departments and the institution of traditional leadership on:

• The development and implementation of national programmes, policy and legislation impacting on local government and ensure that they are responsive to municipal and community needs and that resources for implementation are identified; and
• Measures to improve performance of local government.

(iv) To coordinate and monitor the implementation of strategies to accelerate service delivery to detect failures and to initiate preventive or corrective action when necessary and

(v) To discuss the developmental role of the institution of Traditional Leadership especially in relation to rural development and ensure acceleration of the work of the Commission on Traditional Leadership Disputes and Claims.

(e) The forum concurs that vertical and horizontal IGR challenges be addressed and that the review of the IGRFA of 2005 be used as a starting point in addressing some of the persisting governance challenges.

3. The Department conducted an IGR status quo analysis study in the 2014/2015 financial year. The primary objective of this study was to ascertain the true state of affairs (what are the critical challenges but also what is working) relating to IGR at all three spheres of government.

In a summary, the study found that a plethora of IGR platforms and structures exist vertically and horizontally across all three spheres of government, but for example, proper agenda setting for service delivery orientated and outcomes based planning, budgeting and implementation remain a challenge. Furthermore the study found that a mandate and role confusion still persists amongst these different platforms and structures which lead to inter alia duplication of mandates and reporting challenges, etc.

The study recommended that these and other governance related matters should be addressed through the review of the IGRFA of 2005, which will be undertaken in the 2019/20 financial year, but also the implementation of certain empowering provisions as specified under section 47(1) of the IGRFA. Regulations relating to section 47(1)(c) of the IGRFA will be Gazetted in the 2019/20 financial year that will frame the implementation of the District Development Model that will not only contribute to strengthening intergovernmental planning, budgeting and implementation but to start making IGR more outcome orientated.

Ends.