4. MEC COMMENTS ON THE SEDIBENG DISTRICT MUNICIPALITY IDP 2010/2011
2.3 OUR INSTITUTION
2.3.1 Political Overview
Our Area, Our People, Our Institution and Service Delivery © Sedibeng District Municipality 2011/2012 IDP - All Rights Reserved Page|35
Our Area, Our People, Our Institution and Service Delivery © Sedibeng District Municipality 2011/2012 IDP - All Rights Reserved Page|36 The Public Participation Summit deliberated extensively on the following matters:
• Solidify social cohesion
• Developmental aspects of Public Participation
• Governance approach to Public Participation
• Two-tier system of Public Participation
Implementation of the outcomes of the Summit will go a long way in addressing some of the challenges facing this area of political interphase.
2.3.1.3 Public Protest
In recent years there has been a sporadic eruption of service delivery unrests in South Africa. Sedibeng District has not been immune to these public unrests (e.g. Ratanda, Sebokeng, Sharpeville, Midvaal, Rust-ter-vaal, and Evaton). These 'service delivery' protests are occurring despite government’s response to service delivery as part of its endeavor to improve the lives of the people. In total the District received six (6) and four (4) petitions during 2008/09 and 2009/10 financial year respectively.
Some of the petitions were originating from individuals, others groups and even political parties for that matter. From the above, three (3) were delivered via a march, and the rest were hand delivered. The following are some of the primary issues of concern raised:
• The needs of youth and people with disability empowerment,
• Unlawful Evictions
• Payment for water and electricity difficulties,
• Lack of constructive stakeholder engagements,
• Exorbitant billing problems,
• Scrapping of arrears,
• Refuse removals,
• Lack of quality houses and roads construction,
• Lifting of moratorium on land,
• Allegations of corruption, tender irregularities and
• Lack of compliance to environmental laws across the District.
The issues noted above reflect that most of the issues raised, are relevant to the Local municipalities of Sedibeng and not the District. Communities however, do not make any distinction when organising protest actions. In ensuring responsive and accountable governance, the Petition Management Committee in conjunction with the affected Local municipalities was prompt on its investigations and deliberations. Petitions management in Sedibeng is misaligned between the District and the Local municipalities and requires better coordination.
Hard evidence exists to show that in some instances, these protest have not been motivated by issues other than service delivery. The construction sector is also mobilizing itself in challenging the utilization of Local contractors in infrastructure development projects. This comes as a result of growing concerns that Local businesses do not benefit from infrastructure development projects initiated by government in the District. The manner in which government executes its capital projects, sometimes with the councillors at the epicentre of the project implementation in the wards, results in councillors more than often at odds with the communities, political organizations as well as the civic movement.
Our Area, Our People, Our Institution and Service Delivery © Sedibeng District Municipality 2011/2012 IDP - All Rights Reserved Page|37 Governance is one that every municipality strives to improve and refine constantly. Most of the structures and systems of the Municipality have been functional. The Section 80 Committees, the Mayoral Committee, the PMT, Council meetings, as well as administrative committees such as the Management Committee (MANCO), Bid Adjudication Committee, Budget Panel, IDP Steering Committee etc. Areas that can be improved include oversight, supervision, and support intervention structures.
Ward committees (managed by Local municipalities) are functioning inconsistently and communities are not receiving timeous and adequate feedback. Stronger interface between chapter 9 institutions and Local government structures should also be encouraged. Some Section 79 Committees are not functioning optimally; the MPAC and Petition Management Committees have stepped up their oversight and accountability, and are set to have greater impact on accountability and oversight. The council in enhancing its stakeholder engagements with regard to oversight and accountability mechanisms of section 79 committees have identified the following challenges:
There is a misalignment of petition policies and procedures between the District and its Locals. Lack of civic education and training, particularly with regard to the structures, policies, procedures and processes in ensuring a constructive engagement with the civil organisations, community based organization and the community at large. Low level of information dissemination with regard to the work of council committees
A positive development was the launch of a Multiparty Women Caucus during 2010. This platform is to serve as a key vehicle in fast tracking women empowerment and an advisory and consultative body for the interests and concerns of women in the District. The Multiparty Women Caucus is directly linking with women based structures in the form of interface e.g. Progressive Women Movement of South Africa (PWMSA).
There are intergovernmental structures in place where the political management team consisting of the Speaker, the Executive Mayor and the Chief Whip are part of as a means of strengthening the relationship between the District and the Local municipalities as well as with the province. The interaction with Local municipalities is not getting sufficient support from the District. An example of this that, while it is known that Local municipalities are struggling with ward committees, very little support is provided from the District in this regard. Furthermore national government has identified the need for the establishment of street committees, but up to thus far nothing was done at the level of the District to support the Local municipalities in that respect. Community based planning is another programme that was identified and equally little has been done, except for the joint strategic discussions that ensued between the District municipality and the Local municipalities.
Oversight over the administration can be improved, particularly with regard to monitoring and evaluation, and resolutions tracking. The caucus of the ruling party has increased its political oversight in this regard. A daunting task is the lack of clear separation of powers between the council (legislative) and the executive, as well as the role clarification and delegations within the council. According to the Turn-around strategy on Local government, indications are that the following elements require vigorous attention (SA, 2009).
• Ensure that municipalities meet the basic service needs of communities,
• Build a clean, effective, efficient, responsive and accountable Local government,
• Improved performance and professionalism in municipalities
• Improved national and provincial policy, oversight and support
• Strengthen partnerships between communities, civil society and Local government
Our Area, Our People, Our Institution and Service Delivery © Sedibeng District Municipality 2011/2012 IDP - All Rights Reserved Page|38 2.3.2 Institutional Development and Transformation
The Sedibeng District Municipality was born out of the new system of Local government, which came into being between 1998 and 2000 when the Parliament of South Africa enacted a number of statutes which entirely transformed the systems, institutions and processes of Local government. For the majority of the population this was a dawn of a new era in which Local government included their voice and inputs in government activities for the first time. Sedibeng District Municipality arose out of the evolution of the former Regional Services Council and the former Lekoa-Vaal Metro Council. 2011 marks a significant year in the genesis of District Municipalities with significant debates about the future of District Municipalities.
Back in 1994, government put in place a vision of municipal structures that would be both democratic and developmental, and which would aim to fulfill government’s constitutional mandates. The government transformed the entire systems, institutions and processes of Local government. This was to enable this sphere of government, closest to the communities which were previously disadvantaged;
to have easy access to services as a whole and to have people oriented administrative structures and political office bearers.
While addressing the vast service delivery challenges and backlogs created by the legacy of the past, the new municipal structures also had to face the challenges posed by rapid urbanization and in-migration unleashed by the collapse of the apartheid’s vision of spatial segregation and the increasing expectations for a better life for all South Africans.
Government had to bring about new establishments, organizational structures and organizational designs which will have capacity to deliver municipal services and all delegated responsibilities as well as continuously build capacity to deliver.
On the basis of empirical studies on Local government’s achievements and challenges, institutional development and transformation are identified as strategic challenges that municipalities have to address now and in the future. Municipality’s performance will be assessed on the basis of institutional development and transformation during this period until towards the 2011 Local government elections.
Performance Management Systems (PMS) for the institution and staff need to be aligned to the strategic objectives of the organization as this will also form part of the assessment of each municipality.