OUTCOMES OF THE SPECIAL NMA 13-14 MAY 2021 - www.salga.org.za
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OUTCOMES OF THE
SPECIAL NMA
13-14 MAY 2021
www.salga.org.zaWELCOME AND OPENING ADDRESS BY CLLR. THEMBISILE
NKADIMENG SALGA PRESIDENT
WE HEARD
• Municipal Elections are scheduled for 27 October 2021. It is necessary to prepare for the transition that
municipalities will experience before, during and post the election;
• This Special NMA is to ensure the development of a comprehensive programme of guidance and support, in
response to potential challenges that may be faced by municipalities during the transition;
• Today is exactly 412 days since President Ramaphosa declared a state of national lockdown as part of the
first phase of our country’s implementation of the risk adjusted strategy, an unprecedented step aimed at
fighting COVID-19;
• Sadly, as a people and as a country, many of our compatriots, family members, friends and colleagues lost
their lives in this battle and to date we recorded nearly 54 896 deaths;
• As the local government family, we too could not escape the grip of this deadly disease;
• We commend many councillors who have played a tremendous role in advocating for these COVID health
safety measures, providing social assistance to many destitute families who otherwise would have been
without food, water, sanitation, shelter and PPE.
www.salga.org.zaWELCOME AND OPENING ADDRESS BY CLLR. THEMBISILE
NKADIMENG SALGA PRESIDENT
WE HEARD
• We wish to express gratitude to our international partners, in particular the United Nations and the Federation
of Canadian Municipalities, with the support of the Canadian government with whom we have partnered to
address the developmental impacts of COVID-19;
• Under our UNDP partnership, with a total value of R8 million, we have been able to provide relief to formal,
informal businesses and SMME’s in all 9 provinces and provided assistance to informal traders to register
their businesses;
• With a total of 1101 beneficiaries in 96 municipalities across all the 9 provinces, the core target of the support
was women, youth, people with disabilities & NGO’s with beneficiaries including women in Sewing Business,
Fresh Produce Street, Vendors, Barbershops, beauty and personal care, Street Restaurants and ICT shops;
• Over the next month further COVID-19 related support to the value of R 2.5 million, will be given to a select
few municipalities under the Building Inclusive Green Municipalities Programme, a partnership with the
Canadian Federation of Municipalities;
• Inspired by these strategic partnerships, SALGA in this Special NMA will conclude Memorandums with our
partners CCMA, SANTACO, SABS and BankSETA to benefits SALGA membership.
www.salga.org.zaKEYNOTE ADDRESS BY HON. AMOS MASONDO,
CHAIRPERSON OF THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
WE HEARD
• Many countries have great admiration for the Constitution of South Africa for how the Constitution treats the
question of the local sphere of government;
• The Constitution established local government as a distinctive sphere of government, which is interdependent
and interrelated with national and provincial spheres of government;
• NCOP is constitutionally mandated to play a critical oversight role with regards to the protection of the integrity
of the three spheres of government and promotion of effective government;
• Increasing concern of poor interventions by provinces in municipalities. Of great concern is the increase in the
number of repeat interventions;
• Many of these interventions would not be there if the spheres of government were co-operating with one
another in mutual trust and good faith, as provided for in the Constitution;
• One of the persisting challenges that face a number of municipalities and which impact development, is the
inability to raise revenue and lack of capacity to manage finances;
• This is particularly the case with many rural municipalities who have poor revenue base and also experience
difficulties with attracting talent.
www.salga.org.zaKEYNOTE ADDRESS BY HON. AMOS MASONDO,
CHAIRPERSON OF THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
WE HEARD
• Programme-based approach is an effective option to address the developmental needs of municipalities;
• Ideation, or the generation of an idea, should be the first step in the planning process;
• NCOP appreciates the role played by SALGA in the proceedings of the NCOP which has increased over the
years;
• We would like to see the further deepening of this in all the key facets of the work of the NCOP, particularly in
view of the need to deal with post-COVID reconstruction and recovery;
• We trust that the new District Development Model (DDM) will enhance the observance and adherence to the
constitutional principles of co-operative government and intergovernmental relations;
• We need to remain eternally optimistic and work much harder to support struggling municipalities across the
length and breadth of our country.
www.salga.org.zaTHE GRAND POLITICAL DEBATE: “THE JOURNEY OF THE 4TH TERM OF
DEMOCRATIC LOCAL GOVERNMENT: OPPORTUNITIES TO RENEW AS
WE MARCH TOWARDS THE 5TH TERM OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Facilitator: Ms Sakina Kamwendo; Panellists: Cllr. Thembisile Nkadimeng, SALGA President; Hon. Lechesa Tsenoli,
founding member of SANCO and current Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly; Prof. Jaap de Visser, Director of the
Dullah Omar Institute
KEY POINTS OF DISCUSSION
• SALGA is stronger, citizens call for help is a call for SALGA to strengthen and extend its mandate;
• Services are delivered in local government; this is not to say there are no problems, however problems must
be contextualized;
• Some issues raised by citizens such as education and crime are not the responsibilities of local government;
• LG is not adequately resourced and capacities; there is a mismatch of expectations and resources;
• Leadership is key and the selection of representations by political parties is important; what are the minimum
requirements for ethics, morality and integrity? how best to get fit for purpose representatives?
• Leadership is about influence, people do not automatically become good leaders; training and development is
important.
www.salga.org.zaTHE GRAND POLITICAL DEBATE: “THE JOURNEY OF THE 4TH TERM OF
DEMOCRATIC LOCAL GOVERNMENT: OPPORTUNITIES TO RENEW AS
WE MARCH TOWARDS THE 5TH TERM OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT
KEY POINTS OF DISCUSSION
• Also important to ensure requisite basic qualifications are in place, training cannot turn someone into a CFO;
• Need to incentivize well performing municipalities i.e. Senqu Local Municipality in the Eastern Cape that has
attained 08 consecutive clean audits and yet struggles to render services;
• Unfunded mandates remain a challenge for municipalities that must be addressed through IGR structures;
• Unfunded budgets speak to poor governance of municipalities,
• Section 139 should be the last resort, Section 154 should be exhausted before Section 139 is introduced;
• Training does not translate into accountability and performance, consequences management must be
implemented;
• Electricity plays a critical role in municipal funding framework; municipalities are constitutionally mandated to
reticulate electricity. It may be necessary to refer the ESKOM matter to courts to get way forward;
• Partnerships are key for local government to succeed;
• We must set higher standards; ideas must be translated into services and products.
www.salga.org.zaPANEL DISCUSSION: THE STATE OF READINESS FOR THE
ELECTORAL TRANSITION
Facilitator: Mr Clement Manyathela; Panellists: Mr. Thabo Manyoni, former Chairperson of SALGA and current Chairperson
of the Municipal Demarcation Board; Mr Glen Mashinini, Chairperson of the Independent Electoral Commission; Maj General
Mkhwanazi, South African Police Service
KEY POINTS OF DISCUSSION
• Ward delimitation exercise is meant for electoral purposes;
• MDB handed over wards delineation to IEC in December 2020;
• MDB launched the Know your Ward App;
• Lessons Learned from the past – MDB has intensified engagements with communities to explain decisions
taken and lessen community protests;
• Municipal elections proclaimed for 27 October 2021;
• Vote registration planned for 17 – 18 July 2021;
• IEC has been in the process of preparing for the municipal elections for the past 18-24 months;
• IEC is finalising critical steps – voter registration, voters roll, and other logistics;
www.salga.org.zaPANEL DISCUSSION: “THE STATE OF READINESS FOR THE
ELECTORAL TRANSITION”
KEY POINTS OF DISCUSSION
• COVID-19 pandemic – commission has been in consultation with ministries of Health and COGTA to mitigate
the impacts of COVID during elections;
• Political parties have been liaising with the commission on issues and concerns, however there was no
agreement by all political parties to postpone the elections;
• Planning is continuing as per the constitution prescripts on elections;
• IEC made improvements, which include revamping of public website, real-time dashboard, e-recruitment
platform, online training and the appointment of service provider to supply the voter management device;
• Security cluster has developed joint plans with all key partners; looking at direct and indirect risks;
• Developed three-phased approach - the first phase is focused on operational issues in preparation for the
elections, managing hotspots and conducing police training;
• The second phase will focus on securing the elections, election warehouses and static deployment at pooling
stations;
• The third phase will focus on post elections, escorting election workers and votes; monitoring celebrations and
festivities and managing cases as and when they arise.
www.salga.org.zaPANEL DISCUSSION : THE IMPLICATIONS OF THE PUBLIC SERVICE
AMENDMENT BILL, PUBLIC SERVICE ADMINISTRATION MANAGEMENT
AMENDMENT BILL, SYSTEMS AMENDMENT BILL AND STRUCTURES
AMENDMENT BILL ON THE 5TH TERM OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT”
Facilitator: Mr Clement Manyathela; Panellists: Hon Senzo Mchunu, Minister for Public Service and Administration; Cllr.
Xola Pakati, Executive Mayor of Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality and SALGA NEC Member; Cllr Bheke Stofile, Speaker
of Matjhabeng LM and NEC Member
KEY POINTS OF DISCUSSION
• Key components of public service include: citizens, government, public services and public servants;
• The current state of public service is far less than desirable;
• Citizens feel less cared for by public servants – due to corruption, lack of service delivery, tainted image
• Government lacks full legitimacy, integrity and ethics;
• Services are being half-heartedly delivered – people outside urban areas are receiving limited services and
seem to be permanently living in the state of non-service delivery;
• There is general lack of innovation and productivity;
• Both amendment legislations are aimed at professionalizing the public service.
www.salga.org.zaPANEL DISCUSSION “THE IMPLICATIONS OF THE PUBLIC SERVICE
AMENDMENT BILL, PUBLIC SERVICE ADMINISTRATION MANAGEMENT
AMENDMENT BILL, SYSTEMS AMENDMENT BILL AND STRUCTURES
AMENDMENT BILL ON THE 5TH TERM OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT”
Facilitator: Mr Clement Manyathela; Panellists: Hon Senzo Mchunu, Minister for Public Service and Administration; Cllr.
Xola Pakati, Executive Mayor of Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality and SALGA NEC Member; Cllr Bheke Stofile, Speaker
of Matjhabeng LM and NEC Member
KEY POINTS OF DISCUSSION
• Uniformity of procedures followed to appoint public servants;
• Training of appointed public servants – NSG conducts train-for-purpose training for public servants;
• Train public servants to resist corruption – especially those dealing with tenders;
• Relations between EA’s and accounting officers;
• Legislation will be a tool through which these objectives are achieved;
• Professionalization of the public sector is in the interest of local government;
• Ensure that the professionalization does not lead to ambiguities such as municipal employees not
understanding who their authority is;
www.salga.org.zaThank You
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