Pretoria - Local government will never be the same again after the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs unanimously passed the Municipal Systems Amendment [Bill 22 of 2010] on Tuesday.
The Bill is aimed at professionalising local government for improved service delivery and performance management.
"Local government will never be the same again. This Bill will open a new chapter in local government and help turn it around into a responsive, accountable, efficient and effective local government system that will help accelerate service delivery and the building of a better life for all", said acting Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) Minister Nathi Mthethwa.
The Bill aims to professonalise local government by ensuring the administrative quarters of municipalities are staffed by appropriately qualified and competent people, which will ultimately have major benefits for service delivery.
It also requires employment contracts and performance agreements of municipal managers and managers directly accountable to municipal managers to be consistent with the uniform systems and procedures set nationally.
In addition, the Bill extends the GoGTA minister's regulatory power to make rules relating to macro benefits, such as medical aid and pension benefits, after consultation with the ministers of health and finance
The legislation was passed after extensive consultations with various stakeholders since 2009.
