Poor municipal governance affects communities all over the country, and the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs plays an important role in rectifying the situation, according to AfriForum.
The organisation extended its hand of collaboration to Velenkosini Hlabisa, the newly appointed Minister of Cooperative Government and Traditional Affairs. The group also presented many ideas for improving municipal governance.
In a letter to Hlabisa, the leader of the Inkatha Freedom Party, AfriForum urged that the following issues be prioritised:
Government intervention based on Section 139 of the Constitution
Regularly assess municipal performance against set benchmarks and indicators to find areas for improvement. It is critical that the national government step in where municipalities and provincial administrations fail.
Improving intergovernmental relations
Facilitate collaboration across various levels of government and public companies (national, provincial, and municipal) to enable long-term and integrated service delivery.
The agency must also function as a mediator in settling disagreements and disputes between municipalities and other stakeholders, particularly those involving Eskom and Rand Water.
Improving municipal water and sewage infrastructure
Many communities are dealing with out-of-date and faulty water and sewerage systems. To avoid a national water disaster, these infrastructure issues must be addressed, first and foremost.
According to Petrus Coetzee, AfriForum’s adviser for Local Government Affairs, many municipalities in the country do not comply with the Electricity Regulation Act or the licence terms.
“We would like the department to intervene and ensure that the municipalities fulfil their obligations,” said Coetzee.
IOL