Temporary Chairperson, Minister, chairperson of the committee, MECs, public representatives here, the Amakhosi and everyone else, I agree with Mr Peter Smith. I'm deeply suspicious of this clock! I hope it is working properly. Normally the clock starts at the other end so that you know exactly how many seconds you have left. This doesn't help me as much, and I want to point out from the outset that I don't trust this clock. I hope you will be sympathetic when I speak.
I should say that we are at a threshold, Mr Groenewald, whether you believe it or not - and I will engage you outside this meeting and perhaps in a few words I'm going to offer now. It is mainly local governmance that is at a threshold, but also the co-operative government system as a whole. What we do in the period ahead, and how, will significantly determine the shape of our democracy for many years to come. That's what the Minister said earlier.
There is the Local Government Turnaround Strategy, LGTAS. We are soon - take note, Mr Smith - going to take a Green Paper on Co-operative Governance to Cabinet. There is a policy review on the powers and functions of the three spheres of government under way. There are changes being proposed to our model of local government. There is a discussion brewing on the nature of our provincial system. We are not saying that provinces should go; we are saying that the nature of the provincial system should be looked at. We don't know the outcome. There are questions about how all of this and more relates to the nature of the developmental state we are seeking to build. And more is still pending.
Because of the gravity of the issues that are being addressed, we all need to be actively involved. We all need to have a say, and we all need to collectively move forward. Of course we will not all agree. How can we? But if we all had a say and our views were considered, we can all take some measure of responsibility for the outcomes, whether we agree with them all or not.
As the Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs, we will create space for discussion and action. As Parliament, you can ensure, of course, that this process is consolidated, deepened and advanced. We are very encouraged by the support we've received so far on the LGTAS, as we call it, and we thank all of you who have played a role in implementing it so far. We have been flooded with offers of help to implement the LGTAS. Not since the adoption of the Reconstruction and Development Programme, RDP, by government in 1994 have we received such a huge public response. We are grateful for this response and we will hold you to account for your promises.
In a way the LGTAS has become the RDP of local government. We have learned our lessons from our initial 1994-96 RDP foray. We will not repeat them with the LGTAS. Of course we're in the very early stages of the LGTAS. There's still a long way to go. There are many challenges, but if we work together on this, collectively, despite our differences, we will, over time, succeed. In any case we have no choice. With local government we sink or swim together.
A fundamental test of the success of our democracy is the extent to which local government works. The LGTAS must be seen for what it is: An overall, comprehensive response to strengthening and developing local government. It is not simply a response to local government failures. Not all municipalities are in distress. But all, from the weakest to the strongest municipalities, must do better.
The LGTAS is here to stay, as the Minister said. It's our overarching, long- term strategy with immediate, medium and long-term goals. Everything we do in local government must be located in the context of this overall strategy and judged in terms of it. Of course there are the sceptics. "It's yet another turnaround strategy", they murmur, "and like others, it'll start with a big bang and then peter out to make way for yet another turnaround strategy, especially when the Minister moves on. What's different here?". Fine, those are all fair points.
As government we're mainly responsible for this scepticism because of the many plans that have fizzled out. Besides, within limits, it's healthy in a democracy for people to constantly question a government. But in an emerging democracy like ours, you can't just question and sneer from the sidelines; you have to engage, become involved, act. You have to try to make things work even if you don't altogether agree with everything. But then as government we must also convince you it's worth it.
So why is the LGTAS different? Why does it have greater potential for success than previous attempts? Perhaps I should start by observing that the Minister happens to be very young - 43 years old. He's not going anywhere for a long time. Having said this, this is Africa and I should point out to the Minister that I am at least 20% older than he is. [Laughter.] This means he should defer to me. He should call me "Baba Deputy Minister", for a start. [Laughter.] But more importantly, even if I offer nonsensical views to him, he must say, "Yes, that's a very wise set of proposals, Baba Deputy Minister." [Laughter.] So I instruct this Parliament: You are an organ of people's power; we are in Africa; I'm an African. The Minister must be instructed to treat me with due respect.
But I want to say that there are many reasons for the success of the LGTAS - I can cite at least 14, if you give me more time. Firstly, this LGTAS is based on the most comprehensive assessment of the state of municipalities since 1994, contained in the State of Local Government Report that we produced.
Secondly, this report - I'm explaining why it has enormous potential to work - is based on a hands-on, interactive assessment of municipalities undertaken between May and September last year, involving representatives of all three spheres of government.
Thirdly, we discussed this report and a draft LGTAS with a wide range of stakeholders, including business, the Afrikaanse Handelsinstituut, labour experts, civil society and other organisations - most of them coming from the DA's constituency, mind you.
Fourthly, for the first time since 1994 the President of the country met the mayors and municipal managers of municipalities throughout the country in October last year to convey his and the entire government's commitment to making local government work.
Fifthly, for two days following this meeting of the President in Khayelitsha, we had a National Indaba on Local Government attended by over 1 100 delegates from the widest cross-section of our society who committed themselves to the Local Government Turnaround Strategy.
Sixthly, we took this national framework strategy back, even after that indaba, to a wide range of stakeholders.
Seventhly, unlike previous turnaround attempts, we secured an endorsement for this strategy in all the structures of the ANC National Executive Council, ANC NEC - for what it's worth, it's the majority party. It went to the NEC, unlike previously. It went to the Central Committee of the Communist Party; would you believe it? It even went to the Special National Congress, which endorsed it. It went to the Central Executive Committee, CEC, of the Congress of South African Trade Unions, Cosatu. It went to everybody.
Many opposition parties also agree with it, no matter what they say here. Yes, the press ... [Interjections.]