Despite the well-documented deficiencies plaguing the country’s local government, President Cyril Ramaphosa has warned that the sphere cannot be allowed to fail.
“We cannot allow the widespread governance failures in municipalities to continue.
“We cannot have municipalities that are so dysfunctional that people feel they must resort to violence to be heard.
“We simply cannot afford local government to fail,” said President Ramaphosa while delivering the keynote address on day one of the 2020 South African Local Government Association (SALGA) National Members’ Assembly on Thursday.
This month marks 20 years since the country held its first fully representative local government elections on 5 December 2000.
While conceding that significant inroads have been made in improving the quality of life for many South Africans, gaping disparities remain.
The President emphasised that the sphere was “too important to our people and their lives, to our developmental objectives and to the very future of this country”.
The mission of local government, as per the country’s Constitution, is to “improve the quality of life of all citizens and free the potential of each person”.
President Ramaphosa said government’s progress over the last two decades has been towards the realisation of that mission and to outline the tasks ahead.
“We are doing so in the midst of a profound crisis brought about by the global Coronavirus pandemic.”
The pandemic, he said, has had a devastating impact on human health, the economy, livelihoods, businesses and service delivery.
“COVID-19 has been a setback for all spheres of governance, and the great task before us is not only to regain lost momentum, but to rebuild with added urgency. We are now in the phase of recovery and reconstruction; a phase that will be difficult and long, and will require the utmost effort.”
Getting to the root of challenges
The President said over the past 20 years, local government has been a key driver of development in communities.
“Communities have sanitation and clean drinking water where they were once forced to fend for themselves. Homes have been electrified and streets have been paved.
“The provision of services has, over the course of 20 years, lifted millions of people out of poverty, and enabled them to enjoy an improved quality of life.”
Despite these successes, the President conceded that local government also faces a number of very serious challenges. Some of these are patently illustrated in the poor municipal audit outcomes.
“The latest report from the Auditor-General points to serious lapses of governance and financial management in our municipalities.
“For the 2018/19 financial year, only 20 of the country’s 257 municipalities had clean audits. This is less than 8%. Furthermore, these outcomes appear to be worsening each year,” President Ramaphosa said.
Challenges such as massive backlogs in basic services, deep inequality, weak revenue bases, rising demand for services and the devolution of several new powers and functions to local government were inherited, he said.
Some municipalities, he said, have acquitted themselves reasonably or even very well, and basic services are now more widely available than before.
However, the President said, there are municipalities that cannot adequately perform even basic functions.
District Development Model
As a response to the mounting challenges in the government sphere, Cabinet last year approved the District Development Model, which is aimed at addressing weaknesses in service delivery, planning, budgeting and implementation in local government.
Its primary purpose is to narrow the distance between the people and their government.
“It is about improving the delivery of integrated services, the alignment of resources, facilitating inclusive economic development and establishing long-term strategic planning,” the President said.
The model also prioritises building State capacity and strengthening the system of local government.
With the Development Bank of Southern Africa appointed as an implementing agent, the model has seen three pilot sites launched in eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality and in the Waterberg and OR Tambo district municipalities.
Project management offices and district hubs have been established in the two pilot sites in KwaZulu-Natal and one in Limpopo.
The district hubs are expected to facilitate intergovernmental joint planning, resolve misalignment, and ultimately help to provide municipal support and promote shared services.
The President said the growth of local economies is critical if the country is to resolve poverty and unemployment.
As the country rebuilds the economy, the approach to collaborate should be used at a local level to support growth and job creation, he said.
“At the same time, we must resolve the structural weaknesses that still exist. We must step up coordination efforts to avoid resource wastage and eliminate duplication of programmes.
“We must ensure that all government programmes address community needs and contribute to developmental objectives, such as poverty reduction and employment creation,” President Ramaphosa said.
The country must address constraints at municipalities that contribute to weak or poor performance, including capacity building and skills training.
“We have to attend with urgency to the issue of maintenance of municipal infrastructure. The speed and responsiveness of national government to COVID-19 shows that this certainly can be done where necessary.”
Government, the President said, remains unwavering in its determination to build a society that guarantees a better life for all. – SAnews.gov.za
