Local Government: Municipal Systems Amendment Bill: consideration

Meeting report

The Chairperson opened the meeting with an apology of his own. He logged onto the platform late thinking that the meeting began at 17:00 instead of the scheduled 16:30.

The Committee had received apologies from Ms C Visser (DA, North West) and from the Director-General of the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), Ms Williamson.

The Chairperson asked Parliament’s Senior Legal Advisor, Adv Frank Jenkins, to take Members through the amendment clauses on the Municipal Systems Amendment Bill.

Adv Jenkins took Members through the amendment bill, clause-by-clause – see attached Bill version.

The Chairperson thanked Adv Jenkins for the briefing and asked if the Department had any input to make on the amendment clauses.

COGTA confirmed it had no additional input to make.

The Chairperson then asked Members if they had any inputs to make on the Bill.

In the absence of Members’ inputs, the Chairperson emphasised the importance of the Bill. He highlighted that it was in the best interest of South Africa’s municipalities that the Select Committee finalise the Bill. He acknowledged that the Bill covered a whole range of issues such as the permanent employment conditions of senior managers who are accountable to Municipal Managers, municipal council, etc. The Chairperson expressed his hope that the Bill would create a solid municipal system to enable municipalities to achieve their determined objectives.

The Chairperson thanked stakeholders for their input over the process on the Bill.  

The Chairperson said that the Committee had noted all the amendment clauses which Adv Jenkins had raised and would take them into consideration. The next step for the Select Committee would be to receive final mandates from provinces. This would inform the Committee of provinces’ positions on the Municipal Systems Amendment Bill.

The Chairperson enquired about how far provinces were in completing their final mandates.

The Committee Secretary responded that the minutes of the meeting today would be sent to the provinces. After provinces have done their own consultations, the date for final mandate submissions would be sent to the Chairperson’s office.

The meeting was adjourned.