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12 June 2008

Chairperson,
Deputy Minister, Nomatyala Hangana,
Local Government MEC's,
Delegates from provinces,
The leadership of South African Local Government Association (SALGA),
Honourable Members,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

1. Introduction

Nine days ago, we had the privilege to present to the National Assembly, a detailed report on the progress which was realised since the adoption of the White Paper on local government in 1998. We were able to show that the upward movements of the performance and delivery curves have happened at a pace and on a scale without precedent in the history of our country.

Drawing on findings made in the recently released 2007 Community Survey, we spoke of the substantial material improvements which government effort has had on the collective quality of life of our people. The Statistic South Africa survey found that:
* in 2007, 86 percent of the population of South Africa enjoyed access to piped water,
* in 2007, a little more than 60 percent of households in South Africa had access to a flush toilet,
* by the end of March 2008, 91 percent of the 252 254 buckets identified in February 2005 were removed in formal established areas throughout the country,
* electricity for lighting has increased in all provinces with 80 percent households in South Africa using electricity for lighting,
* between April 2007 and March 2008, access to Free Basic Water (FBW) increased from 73 percent to 77 percent, and
* during this same period, access to Free Basic Electricity (FBE) increased from 60 percent to 73 percent.

Working within the historical process of the negation of the exclusionary effects of the pre-1994 colonial and apartheid dispensations, we targeted households and spaces which were previously denied access to basic amenities and life-sustaining resources. In those households and spaces, we sought to create improved lives for our people. To that end, we formulated modalities of governance which emphasise the need for all three spheres of government to coalesce into a seamless network which presides over processes of social provisioning and the creation of conditions for sustainable economic development.

2. Progress in the nodes

The urban and rural nodes are sites where many national and provincial sector departments received their first exposure to what it means to support local government. Basing ourselves on that experience and insights gained in the nodes, we used Project Consolidate to add new momentum towards institutionalising support to local government in general.

As we reported on previous occasions, we worked together with the Business Trust to produce economic profiles of all nodal municipalities. These profiles confirmed, amongst other things, the lack of road infrastructure as a threat to local economic development, especially in the rural nodes. For example, the Kgalagadi District Municipality indicated that there was only 291 kilometres (km)-tarred road within the node that mainly covers the major towns and mines. The remaining 2 335 km was gravel road. The Department of Transport (DoT) has allocated R410 400 in Kgalagadi and OR Tambo District Municipalities to undertake an assessment of integrated transport plans and to assist in the provision of road and transport infrastructure.

Meanwhile all urban nodes are implementing roads and public transport related projects through the Municipal Infrastructure Grant and the Department of Transport. All roads in Alexandra are now tarred. Additionally, the node has made huge progress in upgrading major road linkages to promote easy access to N3, M1, Sandton and Wynberg. The future location of the Malboro Gautrain Train Station on the doorstep of Alexandra is expected to enhance job-creation.

All major roads in Motherwell are surfaced and are in fairly good condition. Upgrading, resurfacing and servicing of roads in and around Motherwell are an ongoing process. Un-tarred and secondary roads will also benefit in terms of the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality's comprehensive program aimed at removing the backlog of untarred roads by 70 percent within the next five years.

In addition, the Department of Transport has allocated funds in some of the nodes for the construction of pedestrian and bicycle paths and funds have been allocated to implement the Integrated Mobility and Access Project in Sekhukhune, Umkhanyakude and OR Tambo District Municipalities.

3. Co-ordinated work in the provinces

Chairperson and Honourable Members, when good things of this kind begin to happen, we all face the challenge of doing what needs to be done in order to maintain the trend. It is for this reason that at its July 2007 Lekgotla, Cabinet decided that we should pay greater attention to the task of helping the provincial government sphere to acquire the wherewithal to co-ordinate government work within provincial spaces. In particular, it was decided that offices of the premiers must play a leading role to ensure better co-ordination of information and improved quality of performance. It was also decided that the provincial departments of local government must support the offices of the premiers in ensuring implementation, monitoring and reporting on the operationalisation of the five-year Local Government Strategic Agenda.

The Department of Provincial and Local Government has conducted capacity assessments of both the provincial departments of local government and the offices of the premiers. The necessary advice will be given regarding structural modifications that need to be effected in order to match the determination to do the right things, with real capacity.

Focussed attention on what happens in provinces is beginning to pay dividends. For instance, the alignment of the Provincial Growth and Development Strategy (PGDS) with other strategic processes has continued to improve across all provinces. The participation of sector departments in the development and implementation of the PGDS in all provinces has also improved. There is also increased visibility of provincial sector departments in the Local Government Integrated Development Plan (IDP) review processes. In the particular case of KwaZulu-Natal province, the Social Welfare and Population Department, Housing, Sports and Recreation, Health and Transport Departments, have been identified as star-spangled performers, in this regard. We congratulate these departments for such exemplary conduct!

We continue to implore national and provincial sector departments to emulate the example of the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry (DWAF). This department has come to understand the value of inter-sphere co-ordination and integration. Its Water Sector Support Plans have been developed in alignment with the Provincial Growth and Development Strategies. The successes which will issue from this will build on the achievements made earlier when, in collaboration with the dplg, the provinces and local government, DWAF was able to come within a whisker of completely removing the bucket-system of sanitation in the formal residential areas.

Chairperson, the co-ordinated presence of the spheres of government as well as sector departments has in some instances, enabled us to build a platform for significant private sector investment in large townships. This has also enabled us to cluster public sector involvement in areas which require priority attention. Examples include the Khayelitsha CBD where there is co-ordinated focus on public services, retail, public transport interchange and recreation facilities; the KwaMashu Town Centre, the Bridge City (Inanda) development currently under construction as well as the Pan Afrika Square Development that is currently under construction in Alexandra.

4. The institution of traditional leadership

In the rural areas, our ability to promote and sustain steady socio-economic growth will depend in part, on how well we imbricate the institution of traditional leadership into our system of government. Provincial governments have an important role to play in this regard. Working with the National House of Traditional Leaders (NHTL), we have drafted a National Programme of Support for Traditional Leaders and we proceeded to consult with provinces on it. Provinces have since submitted their costed provincial programmes of support. Information submitted by provinces is currently being analysed for inclusion in the final, costed National Programme of Support. The programme will soon be submitted to Cabinet for adoption.

The programme will be used, amongst other things, to enhance levels of participation by traditional leaders, in the formulation of municipal integrated plans as well as to make considered inputs into the development, by the legislatures, of laws which have a direct and immediate bearing on the practice of culture, custom and tradition. In its own right, the institution of traditional leadership has many responsibilities which it must discharge to its own members, our people and to the country at large. For that reason, Cabinet decided to initiate a process, which will culminate in the establishment of a separate department that will focus on traditional affairs. We are presently working together with the NHTL to give effect to do the necessary groundwork for the implementation of the decision of Cabinet.

5. Policy review process

If all these tasks are to be executed with maximum efficiency, then we have to bring the policy review process on the system of provincial and local government, to finality. As Honourable Members are aware, the Extended Cabinet Lekgotla of 2007 mandated the Ministry and Department of Provincial and Local Government to initiate a process to develop a White Paper on Provincial Government and to review the existing White Paper on Local Government. We have received a total of 157 submissions from civil society organisations, all three spheres of government, statutory bodies, academic institutions and political parties. The first progress report was submitted to the Extended Cabinet Lekgotla of January 2008, and to the Extended Presidential Co-ordinating Council in May 2008.

The department will release a Draft White Paper on the system of provincial and local government in July 2008, for consideration by the Extended Cabinet Lekgotla. Thereafter, an extensive consultative process will be embarked upon with key stakeholders within and outside of government. The legislatures and parliament will have an opportunity to engage with the process. It is critically important for the process to benefit from the insights of Honourable Members of this House, particularly because more than any other, you are the one body whose work is aptly germane to the life of the provincial sphere of government.

6. Conclusion

Chairperson, I wish to conclude by thanking especially the Chairperson and other members of the Select Committee for Provincial and Local Government for the unconditional support they gave and continue to give to both the Ministry and the department. At each faltering step, they were there to lend a hand, to join with us to be of better service to our people.

I thank you.

Issued by: Department of Provincial and Local Government
12 June 2008
Source: Department of Provincial and Local Government (http://www.thedplg.gov.za)