Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning
Hon Bryant.
Whether any enquiries sent to pthelpme@westerncape.gov.za(link sends e-mail) were redirected to the Western Cape Government Department of Local Government; if so, (a) how many enquiries have been received since the launch of the initiative, (b) which municipalities have utilised this initiative to date and (c) what types of enquiries were received, ranked by frequency?
The purpose of PTHelpme hotline is to provide a platform for municipalities to request assistance with its daily issues as it relates to accounting and auditing matters. No enquiries sent to pthelpme@westerncape.gov.za have been redirected to the Western Cape Government Department of Local Government.
The Department of Local Government participates in the weekly Provincial Audit steering committee meetings during the municipal external audit process. These meetings are held to evaluate transversal issues, to which the root causes are identified as soon as possible and getting the right people to engage and to provide guidance to municipalities on the issue at hand as quickly as possible. Other formal processes that have been institutionalised to enable a coordinated approach to monitor and support municipalities in improving the planning, budgeting and implementation within local government are the annual Strategic Municipal Engagements (focused on planning and budgeting) in November and April and the Technical Integrated Municipal Engagement (focused on governance and implementation) in February.
