Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning
Question by Hon Bryant.
(a) What is the current status of underperforming municipalities in the province,
(b) which municipalities are currently under administration and (c) what steps are being taken to improve municipalities’ reaction to the challenges that they face?
11 (a) According to the latest independent municipal performance ratings, the majority of Western Cape municipalities are performing well. However, my Department notes that there are municipalities where challenges in relation to governance, financial sustainability, and service delivery are prevalent. In the last Municipal Performance Assessment Tool (MPAT) compiled by National COGTA, the Western Cape registered the most stable municipalities with no dysfunctional municipalities noted.
- At this point in time there are no interventions in terms of Section 139(1) of the Constitution in any of the municipalities in the Province. However, there are interventions in terms of Section 139(5) of the Constitution in Beaufort West Municipality and Kannaland Municipality. A Financial Recovery Plan has been imposed in Beaufort West Municipality with good progress being made while in the case of Kannaland Municipality, the Financial Recovery Plan is in its development stage.
- Those municipalities who approach the Department are assisted, as per request, resource availability and where relevant, in collaboration with key stakeholders.
My Department also conducts focused capacity training in fields associated with Governance so as to improve and sustain Governance and Accountability. In this respect, various disciplines are focused upon, including inter alia, implementation of the Code of Conduct for Councillors, Ethics, Role and Responsibility of MPACs, Roles and Responsibilities of Councillors, Legal Framework related to the Appointment Regulations applicable to Senior Managers. In addition, my Department provides legal guidance and advice wherein a challenge encountered by a municipality may be addressed within the applicable legislative framework. Transversal training is available for officials and councillors. Internships are also funded within available grant funding.
Furthermore, my Department provides technical advisory services in the roll-out of the MIG Programme and Water and Energy Resilience Programmes. In the case of the latter two programmes, the Department also allocates funding to municipalities to enhance Water and Energy Resilience, within available funding.
In addition, my Department manages a Municipal Support Grant through which transfers are made, based on a due diligence process, to enable municipalities to respond, in particular, to the service delivery challenges.
