Deputy Chairperson of the NCOP, hon Minister Shiceka and Deputy Minister, hon MECs present, hon members of the House, distinguished guests, it is an honour for me to participate in the 2010 policy and Budget Vote debate of the Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs. I'm participating in this debate because issues of local government and traditional affairs are very close to my heart. I have been involved in local government for many years as a councillor. This was informed by my passion to support local government because it is at the centre of service delivery.
I want to start by saying that the ANC, as a ruling party, cares for the people and it has achieved much in addressing the challenges that face local government in our country. This can be attested to through the commitment and dedication of our President, hon Jacob Zuma, when he changed the former Ministry of provincial and local government to the Ministry of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs because of the need to accelerate service delivery and for better co-ordination and coherence between the three spheres of government.
As we debate in this august House, we must remember that the NCOP stands at the peak of the intergovernmental relations system by bringing together all three spheres of government in areas of policy deliberation and legislation. As such, the NCOP has a crucial role to play in ensuring that the system of co-operative governance works effectively in improving the lives of our people. This is due to the fact that the concept of co- operative governance within our system of government - the national, provincial and local spheres - provides an excellent example of the development of democracy that is founded on the principle of the participation of the people.
Minister, we acknowledge the Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs under your competent and able leadership for developing workable strategies that address the current capacity challenges in local government. These capacity challenges represent a major constraint towards the implementation of the Constitution and the Local Government: Municipal Structures Act. The shortage of skills, particularly in the financial, technical and administrative areas, compromises the ability to change the approach to development and effective and efficient delivery of services in local government.
In pursuit of the principle of working together, we commend the ANC for acknowledging the findings of the report on the state of local government. Amongst other things, the report indicates that the systems in many municipalities are characterised by critical problems and challenges which include dysfunctional councils - as also mentioned by the MEC who spoke before me - ineffective professional administration, weak and absent mechanisms for local democracy, and weak municipal performance management.
In addressing these challenges of local government, we have learnt with enthusiasm that the local government turnaround strategy, LGTAS, which is a product of the Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs, is aimed at counteracting those forces that are undermining our local government system. It is, therefore, in the interests of our country that local government is transformed and capacitated to play a developmental role in contributing towards nation-building.
The Select Committee on Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs is playing a greater oversight role over the Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs. This is equal to heeding the call of President Zuma of asserting the Fourth Parliament as an activist Parliament. Oversight and accountability are the core functions of Parliament and its committees. As a result, the constitutional mandate of the Select Committee on Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs is to ensure that the department delivers on its mandate and strategic objectives.
During the programme of "Taking Parliament to the People" in the Greater Sekhukhune region in Limpopo in March this year, Minister Shiceka raised the following key issues. One, the NCOP should support the Department of Co- operative Governance and Traditional Affairs in its efforts to address the severe backlogs in the delivery of services. This includes support for legislation, as well as the national implementation of the LGTAS.
Two, the NCOP should support efforts to professionalise local government, and only people appropriately qualified and with the requisite skills and occupational experience should be employed. Lastly, the NCOP should continue to assist communities to expose corruption by providing them with a platform to provide information in this regard. All the issues that the Minister raised during the programme of "Taking Parliament to the People" are relevant in strengthening the capacity of local government. These will be considered by the House.
We are indeed honoured in this House to hear that a new department of traditional affairs has been established by the Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs. This new department is expected to function by July this year. This is a great achievement for the traditional leadership. This new department of traditional affairs should address all the challenges that face the traditional leadership by assisting them to participate in the deliberations of local government in pursuit of advancing the principle of co-operative governance.
Following the transformation of the institution of traditional affairs and its structures, we appeal that the 2010-11 financial year must be dedicated to ensuring that the emerging transformed structures of traditional leadership are empowered to play a role in governance and development. This will be in line with priority number 4 of the strategic priorities of the Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs of improving the developmental capability of the institution of traditional leadership.
We are raising this matter because the traditional leadership plays a central role in rural development and community development. We further call upon the Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs to assist amakhosi to be involved in the planning process of integrated development plans, IDPs, in the municipalities.
Thina ke Mphathiswa sisuka emakhaya, iinkosi siyazazi ziyasebenza kakhulu. [Minister, we are from the villages and we know for a fact that traditional leaders are working very hard.]
In conclusion, in a quest to defend the gains of the national democratic revolution of building ...