Hon Chairperson, the Money Bills Amendment Procedure and Related Matters Act mandates the committee to conduct oversight on spending issues as it relates to national, provincial and local government.
Therefore, the committee conducted oversight visits to municipalities in the Eastern Cape province over the period of 27 to 29 July 2010. The purpose of the oversight visits was to engage municipalities on the development and implementation of budgets; compliance with the Local Government: Municipal Finance Management Act; alignment of the integrated development plan to the provincial growth and developmental strategy; spending performances of conditional grants; capacity constraints; service delivery performance and the status of the intergovernmental relations with national government; provincial government; and entities.
The committee visited the following municipalities in the Eastern Cape: Joe Gqabi District Municipality; Maletswai Local Municipality; Inkwanca Local Municipality; Nkonkobe Local Municipality; Mbhashe Local Municipality; Ingquza Hill Local Municipality; Engcobo Local Municipality; Emalahleni Local Municipality; Makana Local Municipality; Nxuba Local Municipality; Chris Hani District Municipality, and Ngqushwa Local Municipality.
The committee also invited all key stakeholders from national departments, provincial departments as well as the Financial and Fiscal Commission, FFC. Quite a number of challenges and weaknesses were established by the committee during the presentations and a number of austerity measures were taken during the proceedings by departments which were there, as members would read from the report.
Hon Chairperson, we are delighted to report, with appreciation, recorded improvements by almost 15 municipalities in that province as announced during the Eastern Cape Vuna Awards held in East London recently.
More encouraging is the achievement by small and struggling municipalities like Ikwezi, Mnquma, Engcobo and Ngqushwa. These, indeed, are signs of the success of the implementation of the government's turnaround programmes like Project Clean Audit. It further shows that indeed, through improved intergovernmental relations and proper oversight, we can achieve more.
Hon Chairperson, we therefore present a report to this House for adoption as tabled and announced. I thank you.
Debate concluded.
Question put: That the Report be adopted.
IN FAVOUR: Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Northern Cape, North West, Western Cape.
Report accordingly adopted in accordance with section 65 of the Constitution.