President Cyril Ramaphosa addressed the local government summit at the Birchwood Hotel in Boksburg.
Image: GCIS
President Cyril Ramaphosa has called on local government officials to do more to improve service delivery in municipalities and metros.
Speaking at the 2022 Local Government Summit, held at the Birchwood Conference Centre in Boksburg this week, Ramaphosa said an ideal municipality should include a vibrant economy, places where tourists want to visit, interconnected communities and skills and training hubs.
It should provide good access to health, education and recreational facilities.
He called on those involved in local government to not only better the lives of residents but also attract investment to their areas.
He made several suggestions to improve governance in municipalities and metros.
Do you think they will work, or is it all just wishful thinking?
STOP POLITICAL INFIGHTING
“The political contestation and infighting that is wreaking havoc in our municipalities must come to an end.
“We should once and for all end the hijacking of municipal councils and administrations for self-enrichment and personal gain.
“Local government should employ people that are able to perform the functions they are responsible for and should carry them out in an accountable, transparent, efficient, effective and responsive manner.
“In carrying out this mandate, municipalities must receive the requisite support of all other spheres of government, public entities and state institutions.”
MAYORS MUST PROMOTE LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
“We need to ensure that mayors and councillors are deeply involved in the promotion of local economic development.
“We should not leave it to consultants to devise our economic development plans and expect that they will be implemented on their own. Mayors and councillors need to drive the process from start to finish.”
IMPROVE REVENUE COLLECTION
“Municipalities need to focus on the imperative of revenue collection, to ensure that there are sufficient funds available to fulfil their functions.
“In addition to the jobs it creates and the community development it enables, vibrant local economic activity strengthens the financial position of municipalities.
“It makes these municipalities less dependent on grants from the national fiscus and empowers them to pursue the interests of residents with greater focus.”
STOP TALKING AND START ACTING
“As we meet to discuss ways to improve governance and administration and solve our service delivery challenges, we must focus on solutions.
“After more than two decades of democratic local government and nearly three decades of constitutional democracy, the focus must be more on outcomes and less on intent.
“We must bridge the divide between policy and implementation, between aspiration and results, by focusing on what must be done.”
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