- The two-day Local Government Summit in Boksburg has begun.
- Gauteng Premier David Makhura told delegates that every time a new government is voted in, it disrupts the development of the municipality concerned.
- Cogta Minister Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma says the department is considering a new funding model for local governments.
"Be like Italy."
This was the sentiment Gauteng Premier David Makhura expressed on Tuesday at the Local Government Summit in Boksburg.
Elaborating, he said Italy changed leaders almost every year but didn't change its goals.
In Gauteng, the District Development Model (DDM), built on the 1998 White Paper on Local Government, provided direction, but, he added, challenges came with coalition governments.
"If you come to Gauteng, who leads doesn't matter; we know what we want to do in Gauteng. That's the strength of the DDM.
"The problem we face is that with a new coalition [government in Johannesburg, Tshwane and Ekurhuleni], every time [there's] a new government, we must take them through the vision of the economy.
"It needs a lot of patience and a coalition government is frustrating but part of the revolution of democracy."
He added that politics was disrupting development.
This morning I delivered the opening remarks at the 2022 Local Government Summit currently underway at Birchwood Hotel & Conference Centre under the theme: "DDM in Action: Towards an Ideal Municipality". #LGSummit22 pic.twitter.com/HEK6jeDA6V
— David Makhura (@David_Makhura) September 27, 2022
"The core mandate of local government is local services, basic services and critical services, which includes maintenance of infrastructure and maintenance and management of finances.
"There is criticism that we are too preoccupied with the structures in local government [and that] we want to change it and put in new governments
He said:
According to the premier, if the government anchors politics in the DDM, it won't disrupt development.
"We can't start fresh [every time there is a new government]. It will disrupt development.
"It's frustrating for me that every time there is a new government, there is always a need to meet with new people and they always want to start from the beginning."
Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta), Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma added that a capable state was needed to develop the country.
She said the Cogta department was discussing a new funding model for local governments because the manner in which funds were gathered - from citizens – was not working. She pointed out that the current model does not take into account that some municipalities cater to residents who can't afford to pay for services.
"Only 16% of the [257] municipalities have received a clean audit."
Although it's a small number, it shows a clean audit is possible.
"The premier was saying that in Italy, it doesn't matter if the government changes all the time [because the country's goal is always the same], but they have a strong capacity of state public servants – they are all strong.
"We must build the capacity of municipalities and strengthen the culture of accountability."
And, according to her, that starts with small things, like being accountable with a name badge so that there is no anonymity.
"Make people known. It starts there. We must be trustworthy with the cents, so we are trustworthy with the rand. That cent, if not used properly, people will lose out."