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25 October 2007

Madam Speaker and honourable members

The Department of Provincial and Local Government is committed to ensuring that local government delivers services to the people. To achieve this objective, one of the key tasks for us is to continually reflect on the legislative and institutional context of local government and taking into account our experiences over the last ten years, propose policy and legislative refinements.

The Local Government Laws Amendment Bill, 2007, is one important step in this direction. As you may be aware, other processes will follow notably, a major review of local government and the White Paper process on provincial government currently underway in government.

The Local Government Laws Amendment Bill effects amendments that refine, adjust and align core local government legislation such as the Local Government: Municipal Demarcation Act, 1998, the Local Government: Municipal Structures Act, 1998, the Local Government: Municipal Systems Act, 2000 and the Local Government Municipal Property Rates Act, 2004. It also repeals legislation that has become redundant.

The policy intentions of the amendments contained in the Bill serve to, among others, specifically improve fiscal alignment, planning and budgeting, promote the uniform interpretation and application of the law, enhance performance management in local government, further refine and remove impediments in the implementation of municipal property rates, promote practices in good governance and ensure alignment among legislation pertaining to local government.

The Department of Provincial and Local Government welcomes the additional amendment adopted by the Portfolio Committee that strengthens the participation of ward committees in public participation and in undertaking and implementing development projects in the ward. This significant improvement to the role of the ward committee provides further opportunities to deepen democracy and community involvement in local development projects.

I would like to thank the members of the Portfolio Committee on Local Government, under the able leadership of Mr Lechesa Tsenoli, for the lively discussions and for thorough and rigorous deliberations on the Bill. Undoubtedly, your long experience in matters affecting local government enriched the deliberations by the Committee. I would also like to thank all stakeholders who provided useful criticism and insight on various clauses of the Bill.

I urge all members of Parliament to vote for the adoption of the Bill.

I thank you.

Issued by: Department of Provincial and Local Government
25 October 2007