Question NW2193 to the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs
13 October 2021 - NW2193
Ceza, Mr K to ask the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs
What (a) total number of municipalities have completed the review of their indigent lists and (b) action has been taken against the Municipal Manager of Steve Tshwete Local Municipality who billed a pensioner an amount of R11,000,00 for her son’s business that has a lease of land with the municipality?
Reply:
a) All municipalities have indigent registers which are reported to be reviewed on an annual basis as per the Non Financial Census (NFC) published on the 31st March 2021. It should be noted that Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) collects information relating to indigents management in municipalities based on the indicators which have been provided by the Department of Cooperative Governance. Furthermore, the Department compiles a Programme Performance Monitoring Report on the mechanisms utilised for the provision of Free Basic Services (FBS) to poor households in all the municipalities on an annual basis. The report covers a wide range of disciplines such as number of municipalities implementing indigent policies and with indigent registers. It further identifies gaps that need to be addressed by relevant stakeholders including the municipalities themselves.
b) The Department provides support and guidance to all municipalities with regards to the provision of free basic services to indigent households. Furthermore, the Department works closely with Provincial COGTAs; Municipalities and all other relevant Stakeholders with the objective being to ensure that municipalities provides free basic services to all qualifying indigent households. The Department will engage both Mpumalanga Provincial COGTA and Steve Tswhete Municipality to seek more clarity