The MEC for Co-operative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs in the Northern Cape Province, Mr Kenny Mmoiemang met with all the Executive Mayors, Mayors, Municipal Managers and Chief Financial Officers of all municipalities in the Province on Wednesday, 16 February 2011 in Upington.

The purpose of the meeting of the MEC with all municipalities (i.e. MUN-MEC meeting), was to deliberate the details of the deliverables to be achieved in order to meet the outcome number eight and nine of the government’s twelve priority-outcomes which were approved by the National Cabinet Lekgotla of January 2010.

Government outcome number eight commits the Minister of Human Settlements and the MEC responsible for housing to create sustainable human settlements and improved quality house-holds life, while outcome nine commits the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs and the MEC responsible for local government to develop a local government system which is efficient, effective, responsive and accountable.

The meeting also discussed the 2009/2010 Municipal Audit Outcomes Report and acceleration of Integrated Provincial Electrification in the Northern Cape.

On flooding in certain parts of the Province:

MUN-MEC meeting noted the impact that the floods in a number communities in the Province and re-affirmed its commitment to providing assistance and support to all affected communities. A Technical Task Team, led by Department of Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs (COGHSTA), is coordinating provincial government's response and is tasked with the responsibility to ensure that assistance and support is provided to our communities in a coordinated manner. The Provincial Disaster Management Centre, located in the Office of the Premier, is monitoring the situation province-wide and provides regular reports to the Premier and the Executive Council as well as other relevant institutions.
On creating sustainable human settlements and improved quality house-holds life the Province:

The meeting noted progress regarding upgrading of house-holds in informal settlements areas in the Province, as well as the accreditation of two Districts municipalities which are Frances Baard and Pixley-ka-Seme (Level 2). It also noted that the New Human Settlements Conditional Grant Allocation Formula reduces the allocation to the province over the MTEF period.

MUN-MEC agreed that:
- Municipalities and the Department would ensure that integrated sustainable human settlements are built where people can live, work, play, and pray;
- All municipalities in the province must ensure that human settlements projects form part of municipal integrated development plans (IDPs);
- Housing Needs Register must be maintained by municipalities and old-age persons must be given preference; and
- Appointment of contractors and service providers for human settlements must be in line with the applicable legislation.

On developing a local government system which is efficient, effective, responsive and accountable:

The meeting noted progress made with regard to outputs outlined in the Delivery Agreement signed between the Minister Sicelo Shiceka and MEC Kenny Mmoiemang. These are:
- A differentiated approach to municipal financing, planning and support;
- Iimproved Access to Basic Services;
- Iimplementation of Community Work Programme;
- Iinitiatives supportive of the Human Settlements Outcome;
- Ddeepen Democracy through a refined Ward Committee System;

MUN-MEC resolved that:
• The Department and Municipalities must cooperate with each other and must fully support the work of the Inspectorate dealing with Fraud and Corruption at COGTA national;
• The MEC will communicate plans to revitalise Local Government Turn Around Strategy (LGTAS) across the province that will seize the opportunity of the newly elected councils after the 2011 municipal elections;
• Municipalities must start developing their own plans and initiatives to revitalise LGTAS and more intensely communicate the successes of the programme.


On Operation Clean Audit 2014 and Municipal Audit Outcomes for 2009/2010:

The Provincial Auditor-General, Mr Latif Kimmie, presented a comprehensive report on the municipal audit outcomes of the 2009/2010 financial year. The MEC raised serious concern about municipalities which failed to submit their Annual financial Statement in time and urged all the Mayors to exercise political oversight in terms of the Municipal Finance Management Act of 2003. The late submission of Annual Financial Statements to the Auditor-General paints a negative picture for the province and cannot be tolerated.

MEC Kenny Mmoiemang reiterated that the Department and the Provincial Government will not tolerate shabby work by municipalities who have not yet submitted their Annual Financial Statements for auditing to the Provincial Auditor-General. The deadline for the submission was end of August 2010 and to date there are some municipalities who are still stalling.

He said some of the municipalities who submit on time continued to suffer as a result of public opinion on inefficiencies by some of the municipalities in the Province.

The MEC said while he acknowledged that other factors like vacant posts for Chief Financial Officers and lack of financial management skills in the municipalities at times contribute to the delays, the his department would not stomach the hold-up shown by some municipalities.

The MEC indicated that the presence of the Director-General of the Province, Advocate Justice Bekebeke, in the meeting, shows that the Provincial Government, under the leadership of Premier Hazel Jenkins, takes the 2014 Clean Audit campaign seriously and urged all Mayors to hold their Municipal Managers and Chief Financial Officers accountable in this regard.

The Director General raised concern on the use and reliance on consultants by municipalities in preparing their Annual Financial Statements. In certain instances you find that a municipality’s Finance Department has a CFO and a full staff establishment but still use consultants and yet there is no improvement in the audit outcome of the municipality. Where consultants are used, there must be skills transfer as there can not be indefinite usage of consultants.

The meeting also noted the Provincial Steering Committee on Operation Clean Audit 2014 campaign coordinated by the Director General. This Steering Committee comprised of Office of the Premier, COGHSTA, Provincial Treasury, Provincial Auditor-General, SALGA Northern Cape and DBSA.

The Steering Committee is going to do regular monitoring and evaluation with a view of detecting red flags in early stage. The MEC of COGHSTA will receive progress reports on quarterly basis and will report to the Executive Council.

On Accelerating Integrated Electrification Programme in the Northern Cape:

The meeting noted presentation from the Department of Energy regarding electrification programme in the Province, and also that the Department of Energy intends to reach universal access in the Province by end of 2012. The greatest challenge is poor performance by municipalities in spending funds allocated to them for electrification purposes.

The MEC has directed all Mayors to monitor spending regarding electrification and Mayors must report progress to the MEC every two-weeks.

Conclusion:

The MEC made a commitment that the Department (COGHSTA) will roll-out a “massive service delivery programme” to fifteen priority municipalities in the province as a matter of urgency. These are: Kamiesberg; Nama Khoi; Richtersveld; Hantam; Khai Ma; Karoo Hoogland; Mier; !Kheis; //Khara Hais; Kai Garib; Pixley-ka-Seme District; Renosternerg; Thembelihle; Kareeberg and Ubuntu.

Additional Human Settlements Funding Allocation received from national Department of Human Settlements will be directed to these fifteen priority municipalities to speed up service delivery and create jobs in the areas falling in the municipalities.

The MEC also urged the political leadership of municipalities to prepare hand-over reports for incoming leadership to be elected after the 2011 Local government Elections. The intention of hand-over reports is not to burden the new leadership.



ISSUED BY OFFICE OF THE MEC:
Enquiries : Neo Maneng
Spokesperson of the MEC
Contact : 0727111517
E-mail : This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.


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