People who have worked at national and provincial government needed to be deployed to municipalities to help them master service delivery. These would include former ministers, Zuma said in his annual address to the National Council of Provinces (NCOP).

Zuma was addressing the NCOP on the theme "Working together to build on the advances of our democracy for a better life for all".

He said in older democracies, people who led municipalities - an important level of government - were former ministers.

"In fact, the most experienced citizens are deployed," he said. "People who have earned their terms at national and provincial level need to be deployed there so we can master delivery."

Zuma detailed some of government’s initiatives at municipalities, including the employment of plumbers and artisans to deal with water leaks.

He said if government continued to work like they were doing now - using the example of the water leaks project - service delivery would be streamlined.

"I am convinced services that government provides, will be provided in a timely manner on an affordable basis and close to where our citizens live," Zuma said.

"When you do this, our citizens' experience of local government will be a happy one."

-News24.com