Tabling her 2022/23 budget speech at Gariep Dam in Kopanong Local Municipality, MEC Gadija Brown says this led to challenges regarding service delivery. 

She says her department will partner with the Department of Cooperative Governance (Cogta) among others, to ensure that there is effective governance - a key driver for change across municipalities.

Brown says they want to get the basics right, and improve service delivery whilst water provision in municipalities is also stabilised.

"The Provincial Treasury in partnership with CoGTA and the South African Local Government Association(SALGA) has commenced with Integrated Councillor Portfolio training from the 8 to 30 March 2022, on the back of the Integrated Councillor Induction Programme (ICIP) in February 2022 to the newly elected councillors in order provide them with “knowledge”," she adds.

She has announced that these councillors, who have often been accused of ignoring calls and complaints from irate residents, will be trained with regard to oversight leadership, in respect of key portfolio committees, legislation that is applicable to local government, and municipal budget processes.

"Sewage on the streets, poor water supply and mismanagement are all too common. Work to repair the state of our municipalities together with the newly elected councillors and SALGA have already started.”

At the end of June 2021, R693 845 000 had been spent.

This was 87 percent of the total grant allocated.

As a result, 2469 jobs were created, of which 668 were for women.

Brown shares the sentiments of Premier Sisi Ntombela, who during her State of the Province Address (SOPA) admitted that most municipalities where in a dire state.

MEC Mxolisi Dukwana previously told OFM News that his department wants to look into ethical leadership, to best serve residents across municipalities in the province.

He added that the issue of ethical and courageous leadership has been raised before by the Auditor-General (AG).

READ MORE: FS Cogta MEC wants ethical leadership

OFM News also previously reported on ailing municipalities, which had experienced several protests from irate residents.

These municipalities included the Bloemfontein-based Mangaung Metro and Matjhabeng Municipality, among others.

OFM News