In a bid to assist distressed and dysfunctional municipalities, Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Zweli Mkhize will conduct an oversight visit to the Mangaung Municipality in the Free State.
During his visit, the Minister will engage the provincial government and municipalities on intervention programmes to support those municipalities that are distressed and dysfunctional in the province.
“The visit forms part of the Back to Basics programme aimed at building functional municipalities. The purpose of the visit will be to identify and agree on critical and priority challenges for ministerial intervention,” said the Minister.
While the Minister will engage with the Mangaung Metro, he will also visit the following nine municipalities identified as either being distressed or dysfunctional – Mafube, Masilonyana, Maluti-A-Phofung, Kopanong, Letsemeng, Mantsopa, Nketoana, Tokologo and Mohokare.
Mkhize met with MECs responsible for local government in March this year and committed to a programme of provincial visits to provide support in building a local government system that responds to the needs of the people.
The Eastern Cape and North West provinces were among the first to receive a visit from the national department and MECs.
In May, the Auditor General Kimi Makwetu released a report into the dire state of municipalities. Only a select few were operating at functional level while 87 were deemed as dysfunctional.
In light of this, the support to municipalities provided by the national department will focus on three areas, namely governance and administration, service delivery and infrastructure as well as financial management.
According to the municipal guidelines, functional municipalities should among other criteria, exhibit strong political and administrative leadership, have political stability, spend budgets as expected, have a functional council and oversight structures, undertake regular report backs to communities, have low vacancy rates and have a good rate of revenue collection.
In addition, functional municipalities should deliver basic services such as the cutting of grass, refuse removal, provision of street lighting, water, sewerage systems and other services. – SAnews.gov.za
