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Private Bag x802, PRETORIA, 0001 Tel: (+27 12) 334 0705 Fax: (+27
12) 326 4478
Private Bag x9123, CAPE TOWN, 8000 Tel: (+27 21) 462 1441 Fax: (+27 21)
461 0851
FOR WRITTEN REPLY
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
PARLIAMENTARY QUESTION NO 1863
Mr. NJJ van R Koornhof (Cope) to ask the Minister for Cooperative
Governance and Traditional Affairs:
Whether his department will facilitate the payment of outstanding debt owed
by various government departments to municipalities; if not, why not; if so
what are the relevant details? NW2216E
Response:
Yes, the department continues to facilitate the payment of outstanding debt
owed by various government departments to municipalities. The department is
part of the national debt steering committee established to facilitate
payment to municipalities. The provinces have also established provincial
debt steering committees where the provincial department of Cooperative
Governance, Traditional Affairs and Human Settlement, Provincial Treasury
and South African Local Government Association (SALGA) are participating.
The payment of debt owed to municipalities by national and provincial
government departments has been an item in national Intergovernmental
Relations (IGR) fora like MinMEC and the Presidential Coordinating Council
(PCC). The Minister has written letters to Ministers, MECs and Premiers
indicating the amount that relevant departments have been owing and sought
a plan from these departments on how they will service their debt. This
initiative has resulted in the debt being reduced by R560mil.