Question NW515 to the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs
20 March 2024 - NW515
Smalle, Mr JF to ask the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs
Whether her department will intervene to capacitate the administration of the 66 municipalities that have been identified as dysfunctional due to maladministration and the inability to hold errant officials accountable; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
Reply:
Yes, we are already intervening and capacitating municipalities so that they respond better in fulfilling their constitutional mandate, that of providing basic services. The DCoG, Provinces and Salga have done a lot of training and capacity building for oversight structures in municipalities, not just in dysfunctional municipalities.
Consistent with the provisions of Section 154 of the Constitution, the Department has established a Results Management Office (RMO) with the aim of capacitating municipalities. National Cogta, Provincial Cogta Departments and National and Provincial Treasuries have deployed various experts to deal with challenges related to governance, financial matters, local economic development, service delivery and infrastructure including water, roads and electricity.
Moreover, the following legislative and regulatory frameworks have been introduced to support and strengthen the capacity of all municipalities, including the 66 dysfunctional municipalities to deal the breaches of Code of Conduct for Municipal Staff Members:
a) Schedule 2 of the Local Government: Municipal Systems Amendment Act, 2000 as amended.
b) Local Government: Disciplinary Regulations for Senior Managers, 2011.
c) Disciplinary Proceedure Collective Agreement.
In addition to the above, the Department has established a database of staff members who have been dismissed and resigned prior to finalisation of disciplinary proceedings which is monitored on continuous basis.
End.