Chairperson, Chairperson of the NCOP, Deputy Minister, and august House, government adopted the Local Government Turnaround Strategy in 2009. The primary aim is to restore the confidence of the majority of our people in our municipalities, to rebuild and improve the basic requirements of a functional, responsive, effective, efficient and accountable developmental local government.
This Bill takes us boldly in that direction. The Bill is aimed at professionalising local government for improved service delivery and performance management. The Bill will open a new chapter in local government and help turn it around into a responsive, accountable, efficient and effective local government system that will help accelerate service delivery and the building of a better life for all.
Chairperson, given the political will to act, we hope that this Bill will indeed resolve all issues that have made local government distress-filled today. It is acknowledged that the proposed legislation, to a large extent, shifts municipal structures and, by implication, local government along a positive and constructive trajectory. It is our contention that the Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs is cognisant of some of the inhibitors to effective and efficient service delivery in South Africa, and the proactive measures suggested in the Bill are indicative of this.
The aim of the Bill, as we said, is to professionalise local government by ensuring that the administrative apparatus of municipalities is staffed by appropriately qualified and competent persons to improve on service delivery - as we said during the intervention reports; require employment contracts and performance agreements of municipal managers, and managers directly accountable to municipal mangers to be consistent with the uniform systems and procedures set nationally - to avoid what we said during the intervention reports; and extend the Minister's regulatory power to make regulations relating to macro benefits such as medical aid and pension benefits after consultation with the Ministers of Health and Finance. This will also ensure that the Minister does have a word in provincial matters if some of the provincial departments are not acting accordingly. It will also enhance the capacity of the Minister to use section 154, with regard to supporting other spheres of government.
The Select Committee on Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs supports the proactive and practical measures taken by the department to introduce a degree of professionalisation into local government. It is envisaged that this will be accomplished, firstly, through installing clear procedures and guidelines for the appointment of municipal managers; and secondly, by making sure that the councillors are personally liable for any fruitless or wasteful expenditure, that their accountability is ensured and appropriate, and that prospective political encroachment on the administrative domain is done away with or curtailed.
Thirdly, by precluding the appointment of employees who have been dismissed on the grounds of misconduct or those who are the subject of disciplinary enquiries, the likelihood of the repetition of the same transgressions committed by a municipal employee in different municipalities is reduced. There was a case that we have reported where one of the administrators came from Free State province to the North West province with an administrator, but under controversial measures. Such actions will be done away with. Finally, and more importantly, in terms of proposed legislation, only those positions that are provided for in the staff establishment of the municipality will be occupied. So, there will not be fragmented appointments or appointments that come during the dark hours of the night. Hon members, these advances collectively point towards the building of better managed and more efficient municipal structures.
The Select Committee on Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs, having considered the subject of the Local Government: Municipal Systems Amendment Bill, referred to it and classified by the Joint Tagging Mechanism, JTM, as a section 75 Bill, reports that it has agreed to the Bill with that proposed amendment. I then move for its adoption. [Applause.]
Debate concluded.
Bill agreed to in accordance with section 75 of the Constitution.
Chairperson, on a point of order: On the Order Paper of today, a draft resolution is quoted under my name on page 128, paragraph 5, which I certainly haven't moved. I don't know if this is an oversight of the Table staff or whatever, but I have a high regard for the President of this country. I certainly didn't say what is said there. Thank you, Chairperson.
Chairperson, the member rightly brought that to my attention. We will provide communication and we really do apologise. We will rectify the matter.
Apology accepted. That concludes the business of the day. Hon members, you are requested to remain seated until the procession has left the Chamber.