Hon Chairperson, hon Acting Minister, Mr Bredell and hon members, by now the system of local government should be reaching a level of maturity, as local government is the backbone of service delivery to our people.
The municipalities have been confronted with many intractable problems, amongst other things, huge service delivery backlogs, lack of capacity, poor communication and accountability, fraud and corruption. The objects of local government are to provide democratic, accountable government for local communities; to ensure the provision of basic services to communities in a sustainable manner; to promote social and economic development; to promote a safe and healthy environment; and to encourage community involvement in local government matters.
When one studies the root causes of failing municipalities, one finds that basic management principles are not applied. With regard to institutional capacity, the organograms of some municipalities are not necessarily determined to optimise service delivery, but rather to create posts for cadre deployment. The majority of municipalities are not working according to section 53 of the Local Government: Municipal Systems Act to define the role and functions of office bearers and municipal managers. Municipal managers are not always appointed because of their skills and because they are fit for the purpose, but to give jobs to cronies.
Unfortunately, the Local Government: Municipal Systems Amendment Bill has not yet been signed off by the President, with the result that municipalities can carry on with the past bad practices that will result in business as usual, with communities that will suffer because of poor service delivery.
In terms of human resource management, proper service and performance contracts are not signed, with the result that control over senior management cannot be exercised. There is also a lack of appointment policies, resulting in the unfair appointment of incompetent staff. Financial management is in a crisis in local government. Some councillors are illegally involved in tender procedures, with officials applying corrupt practices in the awarding of tenders, and there is a lack of control over the performance of contractors. In many municipalities, money is spent on expensive vehicles and social functions. Sometimes one can judge a poor municipality by the expensive car of the mayor. [Interjections.]
The status of audit results in municipalities is alarming. The audits in 219 municipalities on predetermined objectives reported that 25% composed of late or nonsubmission and 88% of noncompliance with the Local Government: Municipal Finance Management Act, the Local Government: Municipal Systems Act, and with municipal planning and performance management regulations. Independent audit and oversight committees are not appointed to do the necessary independent oversight. Some senior officials are being paid excessive salaries in relation to their performance and skills, and in terms of the affordability to the municipality.
There is also the problem of unfunded mandates. Certain functions, such as libraries, which are very important for our communities, are not properly funded by the relevant spheres of government. The funding for nature conservation is inadequate, and the Department of Water and Environmental Affairs should do much more to get rid of red tape to support projects which are very important for job creation and to create a safe and healthy environment.
The municipal infrastructure situation is critical in terms of replacing and maintaining ageing infrastructure. There is no local municipality which is in a position to be sustainable regarding infrastructure challenges.
The provision of housing is a huge challenge. Housing is not an all- municipal competency, but municipalities take responsibility on behalf of the provincial and national governments.
Therefore, it is imperative to make adequate funds available for infrastructure and also for the long-term maintenance of housing projects. Much effort must be put in to root out corruption with regard to the allocation of housing and the social compact processes.
The immigration of people into South Africa is also a big problem, because the demand is increasing by the day. Poverty relief by means of equitable share is imperative, in conjunction with local economic development, and must be well managed to ensure that we can create an environment for better living for all. Land reform and the provision of basic services in rural areas are becoming huge challenges, and municipalities need government support to fulfil this commitment.
Disaster management and the long lead times for support must be addressed, as climate change in the world is going to be less predictable and the reaction times must be as fast as possible to support communities and repair damage.
The functioning of ward committees is vital for the public participation role, where the integrated development plans must be compiled with the inputs of communities. Once again, the quality of ward councillors and representatives will determine the success of ward committees.
The picture that I project is not good and is a rather alarming one. The legislation is good, but if municipalities in the Western Cape can perform well because of good governance and doing the right things, then the rest of South Africa can also perform better.
The oversight role of the NCOP is now more important than ever before. The robust intervention by provinces is imperative to achieve our goals. The strategic plan of the department of local government is commendable and is addressing the majority of the issues, but the execution of the plan will be challenging, and I wish the department all the success. The NCOP will scrutinise its performance on a regular and robust basis.
Regarding the Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs, serious intervention needs to take place and the outstanding issue regarding the Khoisan needs urgent attention.
The most important priorities of local government are to provide basic services, to provide sustainable local economic development to create jobs, and to strive for good intergovernmental relations to align all the functions of the different spheres of government.
Ek dink ons het in hierdie land die mense en die vermo om die munisipaliteite te laat werk. Ons moet vir almal die geleentheid gee, ons moet die beste kundigheid bymekaar kry, en ek glo dat ons in die volgende vyf jaar baie suksesvolle munisipaliteite aan Suid-Afrika kan lewer. Ek dank u. [Applous.] (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)
[I am of the opinion that we do have the people and the skills in this country to ensure that municipalities function effectively. We should grant everyone an opportunity, we should round up the best expertise, and I do believe that, within the next five years, we will be able to offer South Africa very successful municipalities. I thank you. [Applause.]]
UMntwana M M M ZULU: Sekela likaSihlalo, Mhlonishwa Ngqongqoshe neSekela lakho, abasebenzi abasebenza eMnyangweni wakho, amalungu ahloniphekile ale Ndlu, uMnyango wakho nguMnyango oseqhulwini lokuba usondelane nezinhliziyo zabantu noma okufuneka wazi ukuhlupheka kwabantu ezindaweni zabo; yingakho kuthiwa uhulumeni wasekhaya - nguhulumeni wokuqala ezingeni likahulumeni.
Lo hulumeni udinga ukuba wesekwe ngalowo mthwalo owethwese nguMthethosisekelo wezwe ukuthi ubhekelele izimpilo zabantu ezingeni lokuqala likahulumeni. Ayikho neyodwa imfihlo engingayisho ukuthi abantu banezikhalazo, mhlawumbe lezi zikhalazo zingavezwa yiwona amakhansela njengabantu abaseduze nabakhethwe ngumphakathi. Mhlawumbe okunye kukhona la abathinteka khona kodwa ezintweni ezisuke zenziwe ngabasebenzi abasuke beqashwe uhulumeni. Lokhu akuyona inkinga yozakwethu - lapho uthola khona sekuneziteleka, kucekelwe phansi izimpahla zomphakathi kuze kube khona nabantu abalahlekelwa yimiphefumulo yabo.
Lapho kufanele sazi ukuthi singenzenjani ukubhekisisa lolu daba njengabantu abamele abantu. Kuphinde kubhekisiswe nokuthi nemali eyayinikezwa uhulumeni wokuqala kwakuyimali engagculisi ngoba ngendlela abantu abaningi ngayo ezindaweni zasemakhaya asikwazi ukusheshe sibalamulele ukuze baphume kwizifo zokungazi nasendlaleni, nokwenza yonke into engacacile ngayo yonke indlela. Ukulethwa kwezinsiza angeke kube khona.
Okunye kulo nyaka wezi-2011-14, ngibuka laphaya ukusetshenziswa kwemali yezinhlekelele; sengathi uhulumeni useyinciphisile kanti isivuvu jikelele yinto esekhona, ngendlela esingakaze sayibona - nawe uyindoda umdala kangaka, awukaze uyibone imvula ena ebusika kugcwale imifula. Kusho ukuthi kukhona okonakele ngokubona kwalabo abazi kangcono ngeZezwe.
Inkohlakalo, Mhlonishwa Ngqongqoshe, kufuneka siyibheke, - ngoba ngasho nakuloya mbhalo engakunikeza wona - kumele nibabophe abenza inkohlakalo. Ngangisho ukubopha umuntu wasendlini, owakwethu nomkami uqobo, engiqamela phezu kwakhe, uma enza inkohlakalo, uyisiboshwa nje ngoba uyobe entshontsha imali yomphakathi. Mhlonishwa Ngqongqoshe uma ningasibhekela lezo zinto njengohulumeni sizokwazi ukubhekana nezinselele izwe lakithi elibhekene nazo. Ngiyabonga. [Ihlombe.] (Translation of isiZulu speech follows.)
[Prince M M M ZULU: Deputy Chairperson, hon Minister and your deputy, employees of your department, hon members of this House, your department is close to the hearts of the people or the one that is supposed to know the hardship of the people, in their areas, which is why it is called "local government". It is the first level of government.
This government needs to be supported in respect of the responsibility which was entrusted to it by the country's Constitution - to cater for the lives of the people through the first level of government. It is no secret that people have some complaints, which could be revealed by these councillors as the people who are closer to the community and who were elected by the community. Maybe there are some of them who were involved in the things that are done by government employees. This is not our colleague's problems, where you find that there are strikes and damage to public property, which leads to the deaths of other people.
We must be knowledgeable on what we might have to do when we look at this issue carefully, as the ones who are representing the people. We must also look at the fact that the budget allocated to local government was not sufficient because of the large number of people in the rural areas. We are unable to help them immediately in order to do away with ignorance and hunger, and prevent them from doing all those funny things. Service delivery will not take place.
I'm looking at the way in which the disaster relief fund will be used between 2011 and 2014; it seems as if government has reduced the funding while global warming is getting worse - even you as an adult have never seen such heavy rains which flood all the rivers during winter. It means there's something wrong, according to the climatologists.
Corruption, hon Minister, must be looked at, and I mentioned that in the document that I gave you. You must arrest those who are corrupt. I mean arrest even those at home, my sibling and even my wife - the one I get intimate with - if she is involved in corruption; she is a criminal if she is stealing public funds. Hon Minister, if you could look at those issues as government, we will be able to address the challenges that our country is faced with. Thank you. [Applause.]]