MEDIA STATEMENT

23 July 2019

The Ministry of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), led Deputy Minister Parks Tau and Deputy Minister Obed Bapela briefed the COoGTA  select committee on the status of 40 interventions in municipalities in terms of section 139 (1) (B) of the constitution across the provinces.

There are number of challenges that were identified in municipalities:

•  weak governance mechanism
• poor financial management
• delapitated, poor and non existence of infrastructure to enhance delivery
• poor service delivery‚
• maladministration
• political instability.
• high vacancy rate in key areas (Finance, Technical, Municipal Manager)

Cogta had also noted various issues around unfunded budgets‚ supply chain management‚ poor revenue collection and expenditure management‚ and rising debt. These and many other challenges experienced by a number of distressed municipalities across the country nesceitated the intervention in terms of section 139 (1) (B) of the constitution. In terms of the law, interventions should be undertaken when a municipality is unable to fulfil its constitutional responsibilities as contained in section 152 of the constitution.

These intervnetions are meant to provide solutions for muchipalities that are experiencing challenges. CoGTA indicated even though interventions in municipalities in terms of section 139 are important, section 154 of the contitution is key. Emphasis was placed on the role of National and Provincial spheres providing the required ongoing support as per section 154 of the Constitution.

Deputy Minister Tau emphasised the need to ensure that interventions are done in a manner that will set municipalities on a path of growth. To this effect, strengthening support and ensuring an ongoing monitoring and evaluation, can assist to raise an alarm before a municipality reaches crises position. This means that section 154 of the Constitution has to be adequately and effectively implemented by bothe national and provincial sphere.

There was an appreciation of the need to have a uniform approach that will clearly explain the process of intervening in municipalities in terms of section 139 of the Constitution.

The other challenge raised is that of non-viable municipalities without a revenue base. There is a need to ensure that municipalities are viable, as there is no amount of intervention that can solve challenges where a municipality does not have economic activity.

With the performance of the majority of municipalities being below expectations, more closer support, is required to ensure that interventions should bear fruits and to avoid repeat interventions in the same municipalities.

Going forward, there is a need to see where section 139 has worked and use it as a case study that other municipalities can use to improve themselves. The committee will visit some municipalities under section 139 to see first hand challenges and how the national and provincial spheres are continuing to support municipalities.

CoGTA will continue to engage and work with all stakeholders to turn around municipalities with challenges.

Enquiries:

Lungi Mtshali

082 088 5060