ANC chief whip Pemmy Majodina says a strong central government is required to address the legacy of apartheid and to ensure more balanced forms of local development.
With the municipal elections taking place in 15 days, on Sunday Majodina emphasised that a strong local government should be “complemented by a provincial government whose primary tasks will be to ensure integrated and co-ordinated local development planning, the provision of appropriate regional services and to provide support to those local authorities which lack resources, particularly in the rural areas”.
Majodina said legislation has been strengthened to deepen the transformation of local government and address some shortfalls. This includes the amendment of the Municipal Structures Act which, among others, provides for the prohibition of a councillor who was found guilty of a breach of a code of conduct for councillors for a period of two years.
“We have also recently promulgated the Traditional Khoi and San Leadership Act of 2019, which allows for the representation of traditional leadership in municipal councils. These additions and amendments to pieces of legislation sharpen our ability to pursue the fundamental transformation of local government and further provide impetus for development that is tailored specifically for our local communities,” Majodina said.
She recognised that the Auditor General’s Municipal Finance Management reports pointed out to challenges in service delivery and under-development. There have also been issues in filling critical vacancies and financial mismanagement within municipalities. The ANC in Parliament is alive to these challenges and has already identified hot spot municipalities, we have been intervening using constitutionally available mechanisms, these also include invoking section 139 of the Constitution to place municipalities under administration,” Majodina added.
Source: News365
In other news – Miss SA 2021 Lalela Mswane targets unemployment among youth
New Miss SA Lalela Mswane, 24, said on Sunday she will start the conversation about unemployment among the youth and seek meaningful solutions to this problem.
Mswane, from KwaSokhulu near Richards Bay in KwaZulu-Natal, began her reign as Miss SA with a busy schedule including a press conference with the two runners-up, Moratwe Masima and Zimi Mabunzi, a day after the glitzy gala event. Learn more
