Preview on the KwaZulu-Natal Province and uThukela District Municipality by the Director-General: Department of Provincial and Local Government (the dplg), Ms Lindiwe Msengana-Ndlela
The President of the Republic of South Africa, Mr Thabo Mbeki, accompanied by Cabinet Ministers, will visit the KwaZulu-Natal Province on Saturday, 6 and Sunday, 7 October 2007 as part of the nation-wide Presidential Imbizo programme. This Imbizo is an integral part of public participation and interaction between Government and communities. It is during this Imbizo where the President and the Government leaders will interact directly with the community of the uThukela District, key stakeholders and government leadership.
During this third round of Izimbizo in this term, government intends to intensify its efforts in service delivery, to engage with communities and stakeholders to improve sustainability. The first round was structured such that the leadership of the country interacts with communities over a period of three (3) days, with the aim of listening to challenges of Municipalities and communities.
The Presidential Imbizo programme focussed on Municipalities that faced service delivery challenges and capacity constraints. The third phase is a solution orientated Imbizo designed to partner with communities, private sector as well as civil society with the aim of finding solutions to challenges that remain.
This preview focuses on the progress made on the issues identified for follow-up at the previous Imbizo. The information on the key performance areas of local government in respect of the District Municipality as the President engages on this round of Imbizo.
KwaZulu-Natal Province has the largest population in South Africa currently standing at 10 014 500 (20, 9%). The Province is characterised by increased migration to the Metropolitan Municipality and regional centres with eight out of ten district municipalities in the province experiencing a net out-migration of people.
The province is made up of ten district municipalities and one metropolitan municipality. These include eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality, uThukela, uThungulu, uMgungundlovu, Amajuba, uGu, iLembe, Zululand, Sisonke, uMzinyathi and uMkhanyakude District Municipalities.
The province’s coping capacity is tourism and is one of the leading contributors to the Gross Domestic Product in South Africa. It has rich natural resources and boasts of well-developed infrastructure and it is recognised as an important hub of industrial development in sub-Saharan Africa.
Durban and Pietermaritzburg are mainly commercial and economic hubs followed by the Richards Bay-eMpangeni areas, the Ladysmith-eZakheni area, and Newcastle-Madadeni regions as well as on the south coast.
- EMnambithi - Ladysmith, Fort Mistake, Driefontein, Peace Town, Pepworth, Watersmeet, Brakwal, Colenso, Craigsforth, Cundycleugh
- IMbabazane - Loskop, KwaMkhize, Mahlutshini, Ntabamhlophe, Sobabili, Zinyosini, Bhoshi, Dashi, Hlathikhulu, KwaDlamini
- INdaka - Ekuvukeni, Kliprivier, Limehill, Sikoko, Son Hoek, Tholeni, Vaalkop, Wesselsnek
- OKhahlamba - Winterton, Zunckels, Van Reene, Bergivlle, Cathkin Park, Champagne Castle, Geluksberg, Hlolela, Jagersrust, Mount-Aux-Sources
- UMtshezi – Beacon Hill, Chieveley, Ennersdale, Estcourt, Frere, Rockmount, South Downs, Weenen, Wembezi.
According to the 2001 census, the District has a population of 656 986 (6.86% of the population of the province) of which 54% are females. However, the IDP of the district indicates that the population of the district has shrunk by about 100 000. This is further confirmed by the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health report. Both the IDP and the Department of Health do not report on the cause of the decline.
The District is faced with challenges of low revenue base, poor infrastructure, limited access to services, high levels of poverty and unemployment.
Some of the major issues are poverty, unemployment, skills shortage and low levels of education.
Two municipalities in the uThukela District Municipality, namely iNdaka and oKhahlamba local municipalities were identified for infrastructural development under Project Consolidate. Both local municipalities had high levels of backlogs in water, sanitation, electricity, refuse and housing.
The Siyenza Manje programme of the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) provided much needed skills in financial management and technical expertise to the two municipalities namely, uThukela and iNdaka.
Key Performance Areas (KPAs)
The government, in collaboration with its partners (state-owned enterprises, the private sector and development agencies), will continue supporting Provinces and Municipalities targeting the following five Key Performance Areas (KPAs)
- Basic Service Delivery and Infrastructure;
- Local Economic Development;
- Municipal Transformation and Institutional Development;
- Municipal Financial Viability; and
- Good Governance and Community Participation.
The main areas where notable progress has been registered and those that require intervention in this Province are summarized below:
Basic Service Delivery and Infrastructure
The uThukela District Municipality has made notable progress in providing water to the community. The water backlog decreased from 45% in 2001 to 34% by December 2006 in the District. Government has set a deadline of December 2008 to provide the remaining 52 931 households with water.
In the areas of sanitation, uThukela District has also recorded significant progress with regard to meeting its sanitation backlog. In 2001 the uThukela District had a backlog of 52%. In 2006, this had decreased to 35%.
With regard to bucket eradication, the District has succeeded to eradicate buckets as a form of sanitation ahead of the December 2007 deadline.
The District Municipality is providing the refuse removal service to the community and is currently developing a District Integrated Waste Management Plan to address challenges that are related to refuse removal.
The provision of electricity still remains a major factor as the households without electricity has increased from 58 012 in 2001 to 64 741 in December 2006. However, the District is on course to meeting the December 2012 deadline.
Communities are provided with Free Basic Services in the District with iNdaka, oKhahlamba and iMbabazane being the highest recipients of Free Basic Water.
The department of Housing has reported a 66 837 backlog in the District. A total of 15 914 houses have been completed and more are still to be completed.
Local Economic Development
The District has held its Growth and Development Summit (GDS) at which an action plan was adopted by all stakeholders. This has assisted the District to identify key areas of focus with regard to economic development.
The District has an abundance of natural resources and commercial and economic opportunities within the agriculture and tourism sectors. These include the part of the Drakensberg range, the Tugela River N3 and N11 national roads.
The uThukela District contributes 1.93% in terms of Gross Value added. According to the Integrated Development Plan (IDP) the district economy is based upon manufacturing and trade, and that these sectors are supported by agriculture.
EMnambithi is the economic hub of the District with manufacturing being the dominant productive sector although is outstripped in total value by the service and retail sector.
Although agriculture is ranked only 6th in terms of its contribution to the district economy, it contributes almost 5% to the Provincial economy. This means that agriculture in uThukela is higher value added than anywhere in the province.
There is great potential in tourism development though some challenges exist with maximising in this area.
The District needs a consolidated approach to addressing coping capacity mechanisms namely, skills shortage and skills development.
Municipal Transformation and Institutional Development
The District Municipality has shown good levels of stability especially in the administration wing of the Municipality. All Local Municipalities have Municipal Managers. There are challenges with recruiting and retaining skilled employees in more technical and junior positions.
INdaka, oKhahlamba and iMbabazane Local Municipalities have the highest vacancies, and this is feared to contribute to some challenges in delivering services to the communities.
UThukela and uMtshezi municipalities have had two different mayors and speakers during the first term of local government (2000 – 2006). UMnambithi had two mayors during this period.
Municipal Financial Viability and Management
The uThukela District Municipality received unqualified audit reports from the Auditor-General for both financial years 2004/05 and 2005/06. However all the local municipalities received qualifications or disclaimers from an opinion by the Auditor General during these periods?
The District Municipality and its local municipalities have budgeted for total expenditure of R738 million for the 2006/07 financial year. Of this amount R183 million is for capital expenditure and R555 million for operating expenditure. The total operating revenue of R567 million is budgeted.
The expenditure on salaries and wages as a percentage of total operating revenue for the District and its local municipalities is 29% which is almost equal to the norm of 30% of operating revenue determined by National Treasury.
The operating grants are high in relation to total operating revenue and should support the provision of FBS to communities with the District Municipality and Local Municipalities.
Good Governance and Community Participation
The District has established mechanisms for public participation and good governance such as Audit Committees, Executive Committees and Portfolio sub committees, The District Municipality has a reviewed IDP and policies and by-laws which have been developed and adopted. All of these committees and forums are functional.
Ward Committees have been established in all the wards in each of the municipalities except in uMtshezi local municipality. Two out of seven wards are still to establish their Ward Committees in umtshezi local municipality.
Some of the challenges with regard to the Ward Committees are due to long distances between wards and high costs of travelling to attend meetings.
All Community Development Workers (CDWs) have completed their learnerships.
Conclusion
The uThukela District Presidential Imbizo will provide the communities and stakeholders from various sectors in the District to directly interact and raise their issues and challenges with the leadership from all spheres of government.
Some of the issues raised in this preview document will be discussed at length during the two days of the Presidential Imbizo.
It is within this context that the
Imbizo on saturday and sunday will directly seek to actively communities and stakeholders in the improvement of Service Delivery and development in the Province of the KwaZulu-Natal.
[ Top ]
Last modified: 10 September 2008 09:35:05.
