So what do we do, Chair? Three things: We approve the Bill that's going through Parliament now, because it deals with some of the problems we have, such as making contract staff permanent, reducing the politicisation of senior staff and establishing special purpose vehicles to ensure delivery of municipal infrastructure.
We need far better linkages with the private sector. You can outsource many functions with skills transfers; you can establish a core of experienced engineers at a provincial level to engage in work at municipal level; you can second local staff to contractors to get skills.
But on the government side we really must say that much, much more needs to be done in respect of formal training. This includes training of councillors, of course, and more particularly focusing on the calibre of management.
Compulsory performance monitoring, which is due and is meant to be there in law - we don't really do it - is all very well, but that only works if the people you are monitoring are capable to start with. International experience tells us that if you don't secure the right talent from the beginning, you are not going to get the right outputs.
Fortunately, government at long last is doing something about the problem, having lived with blinkered eyes for a long time. But, nonetheless, we will therefore support what is being done to address the problems and give advice when asked. Thank you.