Chairperson, Acting Minister, Deputy Minister, hon members and guests, two weeks ago, on May 18, our people returned to the polling booths to cast their votes. Once again, people have put their trust in the ruling party, electing the ANC to run the majority of towns and cities in our country.
We thank the people of the North West, hon Lorimer, for the 53% voter turnout and for reconfirming the mandate that they had previously given us. This time they gave us, the ANC, a 74,99% victory in the province. We assure them that we will not disappoint them. To the people of Potchefstroom, where I am deployed, we want to thank you for coming out in numbers to cast your votes, especially to the residents of the wards where we had no ward candidates registered.
Your proportional representation, PR, vote assisted us in gaining PR seats. We will continue to serve you, immaterial of the challenges faced. The DA only dreamt of taking Potchefstroom. [Laughter.]
Hierdie was 'n bewys dat, ongeag die negatiewe mediadekking wat gedurende die aanloop tot die verkiesing geheers het, asook die menige probleme wat ondervind is, die meerderheid Suid-Afrikaners nog steeds vertroue in die regerende party het.
Hierdie is 'n bevestiging dat ons mense verstaan wanneer daar ges word dat baie alreeds deur samewerking bereik is, maar dat daar nog baie is wat gedoen moet word. Ons mense verstaan dat die agterstand in dienslewering so groot is dat dit jare gaan neem om dit in te haal. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)
[This has served as confirmation that, despite the negative media coverage during the run-up to the election, as well as a myriad of problems experienced, the majority of South Africans still have confidence in the ruling party.
This is confirmation that our people understand when it is said that a great deal has already been achieved by co-operation, but that there is still a great deal that needs to be done. Our people understand that the backlog in service delivery is so huge that it will take years to eliminate.]
As stated in our election manifesto, the ANC is best placed to carry out this next phase of developing and transforming our cities, towns and villages, because of our values and principles, our polices, what we have learnt from our experience in government, and our commitment to ensuring that each community is actively involved in creating better communities. We also stated in our manifesto that we would ensure more effective, accountable and clean local government that works together with national and provincial government.
It is in the interests of our country's development and stability to ensure that local government works to deliver services to our people; builds and maintains infrastructure; creates employment opportunities through local economic development; enhances clean governance; and fights corruption to ensure value for money for our citizens.
In essence, all these are constitutional obligations which are an integral part of the local government mandate. Local government is also at the coalface of service delivery for all spheres of government. Therefore, integration and co-ordination of all programmes become extremely important.
Through the experience of government and working with communities, we have learnt continually which policies are working and where change is needed. It is against this background that in 2010 government introduced its approach to achieve results through identifying the 12 outcomes.
Each Ministry and department is responsible for a specific outcome through a performance agreement known as a delivery agreement. The Minister for Co- operative Governance and Traditional Affairs is responsible for the delivery agreement of Outcome 9: A responsive, accountable, effective and efficient local government system.
To achieve this vision of an integrated, responsive and highly effective system of governance, the following nine strategic goals have been identified: one, to implement a differentiated approach to municipal financing, planning and support; two, to improve access to basic services; three, to implement the Community Work Programme; four, to deliver actions supportive of the human settlement outcomes; five, to deepen democracy through a refined ward committee model; six, to improve administrative and financial capability; seven, to implement a single window of co- ordination; eight, to improve co-operative governance across the three spheres; and, nine, to strengthen the capacity and capability of the department to deliver on its mandate.
The delivery agreement is a negotiated charter which reflects the commitment of the key partners involved in the direct delivery process, in working together to undertake activities effectively and on time, to produce the mutually agreed-upon outputs which, in turn, will contribute to achieving Outcome 9.
The President and the Minister signed the performance agreement for Outcome 9 in September last year, and it reflects government's pledge to work harder, faster and smarter to develop the nation. It is a pledge to do things differently, and the performance areas agreed to reflect a determination to transcend the obstacles of the past and a commitment towards a better future.
As the portfolio committee, we want to inform the department that we will be playing a very decisive role in our oversight responsibility to ensure that the promises made to our people are indeed achieved. We are all aware that the Local Government Turnaround Strategy was approved in December 2009 to improve local government performance and service delivery through the application of correct management, administration and the development of technical skills.
The adoption of the turnaround strategy followed a process of assessment of municipalities, in which it was found that local government was in a state of distress and confronted with huge and varied problems.
With regard to the progress in the implementation of the Local Government Turnaround Strategy, we are reminded that the cornerstones of the strategy revolved around several key pillars, namely tightening the municipal supply chain management mechanisms; establishing a single window of co- ordination to curb overregulation of municipalities; implementing special purpose vehicles for infrastructure development, particularly in struggling municipalities; refining the model of ward committees to give effect to participatory democracy in communities; and establishing a single election at all three levels of government in order to save resources and build unity in line with the single Public Service, as well as the financial terms of municipalities.
Its aim in terms of the Local Government Turnaround Strategy was to mobilise all government and society to embark upon a concentrated effort to deal with factors undermining local government and to restore good performance and community confidence in the country's municipalities, leading towards the fulfillment of Vision 2014.
Various interventions have been made and programmes put into place. It is important to note that the turnaround strategy is not a one-size-fits-all mechanism, but provides an overarching guide by means of which municipalities have been assisted to develop their own municipal turnaround strategy to effectively discharge their responsibilities.
The following achievements are complementary to the key pillars: the passing of the Local Government: Municipal Systems Amendment Bill; the development and implementation of the Clean Cities and Towns project and the Operation Clean Audit 2014 programme; and the establishment of the special vehicle to drive infrastructure development.
The overall progress in the implementation of these programmes as part of the Local Government Turnaround Strategy must, however, be acknowledged and commended. We recognise that the strategy is a medium to long-term programme that is being implemented in a phased manner over a period of time.
Most of its programme objectives are included and have been incorporated within the programmes of the department, within the context of the Budget Vote being currently debated.
It is necessary to say something about fiscal dumping. It is unacceptable for departments to transfer money to municipalities just before the end of their financial year. These monies are earmarked for projects, and therefore the development of communities. Al1ocations must be transferred in accordance with the implementation plan. Holding onto funds for as long a period as possible is tantamount to theft as it withholds or impedes service delivery, and this cannot be condoned.
The ANC supports this Budget Vote. [Applause.]