Day: May 25, 2022

Keynote Address by the Honourable Deputy Minister of Transport, Honourable Sindisiwe Chikunga (MP) at the occasion of the 14th Leadership Development Conference for Women in Law Enforcement

Indaba Hotel Fourway, Johannesburg

Programme Director
MEC of Transport and Community Safety and Liason in KwaZulu: Ms Peggy Nkonyeni
Chairperson of Women In Law Enforcement: Ms L Modiba
Founder and Executive Director of the SA LGTBQ: Steve Letsike
Distinguished Conference Speakers
Women in Law Enforcement across the three Spheres of Government
Civil Society Organizations present
Representatives from the Academia
Members of the media
Ladies and gentlemen;

Introduction

I must thank the organisers of this very progressive and transformative event that for all intents and purposes attempts to ensure we all commit effort and resources to resolving the challenges of inequality in our society.

Programme Director;

We hold this important conference during a very important day in history, when our continent celebrates Africa Day. The essence of being African speaks of humility and humanity, it speaks of protection of family and national values, dignity and national pride. Africa is distinctly unique amongst all seven continents because of its rich diverse cultural heritage, endowed with a wealth of natural resources offering breath-taking tourists attractions, we have one of the longest river Nile and the largest desert the Sahara desert, with the world’s largest waterfall, being the Victoria falls in Zimbabwe. The African ancestry fibre commands respect for respectful communal living, which is premised on the rule of law that seek to cultivate unity, humanity and the sacrosanctity of life.

How shameful, that as we commemorate and celebrate what makes Africa unique, along side we have to painfully face the realities brought about by Gender Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF) which is coupled by a legacy of inequality, poverty and unemployment. Many of us have heard on the news and read in different platforms of the brutal killings of very young girl children, who have been victims of GBVF.

Today, we are having this 14th Leadership Development Conference for Women In Law Enforcement, which means we have had this meeting for 14 years. I am hopeful that this conference will touch on and share practical measures and experiences taken by Women leaders in Law Enforcement across the country in maintaining law and order but also in fighting the scourge of GBVF. 

I would request that at this point we rise as women, we rise as mothers, we arise as pillars of this nation and observe a moment of silent for all the victims of GBVF, the recent one being Singwa Namhla Mtwa Hlehle…May their souls rest in peace.

The Bill Of Rights: The Legislative Bedrock of Our National Transformation Agenda

Programme Director;

The Constitution makes us understand that the Bill of Rights is itself a cornerstone of our democracy, because it enshrines the rights of all people in our country and affirms the democratic values of human dignity, equality and freedom.

It is therefore demanded that we as representative of the public and all organs of the state and many of us participating here must respect, protect, promote and fulfil the rights in the Bill of Rights.

Today is therefore not a meeting of convenience among us, but more importantly to listen, share ideas amongst ourselves, take stock on progress made thus far and hereafter actively contribute resources, effort and time to improve the pace at which we attend to these aspirations.

We meet thus with a view to find ways through which we can work together to remove barriers that block the progress of women, empower persons with disabilities, and ensuring that today’s youth has a brighter future in law enforcement.

It is for instance our responsibility to commit and work towards reversing the fortunes of women by continuing to contribute to building a society in which, “Every citizen has the right to choose their trade, occupation or profession freely” unquote. Bill of Right

South Africa’s National Development Plan – Vision 2030

Ladies and gentlemen;

The essence of the National Development Plan Vision 2030 has its emphasis on the eradication of poverty and the reduction of inequality by 2030 enjoining all of South Africa to support these aspirations through actions some which this conference will spell out over the course of its sitting.

The NDP also assures us that South Africa can realise these noble goals by relying on the energies of its people, growing the economy.

Building capabilities, enhancing the capacities of the state, and promoting leadership and partnership throughout society.

We certainly have come together because we know we can rely on each other’s experiences and that collectively the participants here possess the wealth of knowledge that certainly shed light on a way forward.

By focusing on the development of women leadership in the sector we are again bringing ourselves in stride with the objective of building capabilities of women as individual managing teams and the extent to which this responds to government’s priority to strengthen capacities of the state cannot be overemphasised.

By bringing together different institutional elements of law enforcement we are certainly answering to the important call to build partnerships across law enforcement and equally across society towards development of safer communities. 

Programme Director,

This tells us that the sector must thus move in tandem with the overall aim of transforming society, because the transformation of law enforcement from within is essentially a critical component of society’s broadest transformation.

We thus transform South Africa sector by sector and today we have come back to renew our resolve and plan ahead for actions that shall add greater impact to our transformation-oriented actions.

Speaking of transformation of the sector, we cannot disregard the real and terrible history through which law enforcement has evolved overtime in South Africa, including both its history of largely unlawful violence and its disrespect for the rights and dignity of persons, specifically black people in the broadest definition.

History of policing

Ladies,

Just two months ago on 21 March, we commemorated the Sharpeville Massacre of 1960 in which scores of freedom loving South Africans were brutally murdered by apartheid police, simply for protesting against racist and inhumane apartheid pass laws.

Today, and in just 22 more days we will again as a nation commemorate the massacre of the children of Soweto in 1976 who once more were brutally murdered by the apartheid South African police simply for opposing racist impositions on learning.

In their study on Apartheid commissioned by the TRC and published under the Nelson Mandela Foundation, Janine Rauch and David Storey point to consistent sophistication of the security forces to the ends of apartheid and colonial domination.  

While South Africa, like all countries of the world had its share of crime and other illegal acts by individuals or groups, a large part of the development of law enforcement was focused on the suppression of mass dissent against apartheid.

The very people meant to protect us were consistently built into a force committed to the suppression, repression, detention, torture and ultimate murder of those that disagreed with oppression.

The following is a clear summary of the very painful and unfortunate past the majority of South Africans had to endure with lasting scars to many. O’ Mally says and I quote:

In South Africa, the entire command structure of the South African Police (SAP) was white. The police were trained to fight “terrorism,” not crime.

The preferred method of obtaining evidence to support charges brought on individuals was the defendant’s “unsolicited” confession, usually extracted by threat, intimidation, physical abuse and, if necessary, torture.

Thus, when the ANC became the governing party, the transformation of policing required not only a restructuring at the management level but the development and inculcation of an entirely different ethos of policing and service to the community at every level of law enforcement and basic training for police personnel in reporting, recording, investigating, evidence collection, and preparation of cases for presentation to prosecutors, unquote. 

That is why ladies and gentlemen, we had to change the South African Police to South African Police Service. This was done with an objective to transform the law enforcement to be understood as rendering a service which was not the case before.

We will all remember that we, the law enforcement fraternity was male dominated. And we were committed to ensure transformation through the inclusion and employment of women through gender equity. To an extent that we have had a woman National Commissioner.

The introduction of women in the Law Enforcement space also meant, that we needed protect women in the workplace, as such we introduced a number of policies and legislation as part of the transformation agenda and addressing inequality.

Programme Director;

The Constitution of the RSA, 1996, Section 24(a) compels all employers to provide a safety and most secure environment for all employees who work in the Public and the Private Sectors.

• The Labour Relations Act No. 66 of 1995;
• Employment Equity Act No. 55 of 1998; and
• The Protection from Harassment Act No 17 of 2011 are the main Acts that deal with sexual harassment in the workplace;

These legislations have Codes of Good Practice on the handling of cases of sexual harassment that set out appropriate procedures to deal with allegations of sexual harassment. The Codes encourage and promote the development and implementation of policies and procedures that will lead to the creation of a workplace that is free of sexual harassment, where an employer and employee respect one another’s integrity, dignity, privacy and the right to equity in the workplace. The Policy and Procedures for the management of Sexual Harassment in the Public Service find expression from the above legislations and codes of good practice.  

The Policy on management of Sexual Harrassment have four fundamental objectives which are:

• To educate Public Service employees on sexual harassment in the workplace;
• To provide guidelines and procedures on the effective management of sexual harassment complaints within the Public Service;
• To ensure that all employees and clients of the Public Service are treated with respect and dignity; and
• To create an enabling and barrier free workplace that is non- sexist and non-discriminatory.

The forms of Sexual Harassment include physical, verbal, non-verbal conduct of a sexual nature, which includes all unwanted physical contact; inferences, insults, gestures, inappropriate display of sexually explicit pictures and objects; unwelcomed graphic comments about a person’s body made in their presence or directed toward them. And I must say that this Policy is active and very much applicable in the Law Enforcement fraternity.

It is the responsibility of every employer and employee to familiarize themselves with such important prescripts, especially women who are mostly at the receiving end of this despicable patriarchal, systems and institutionalized practice.

We also request the National School of Government to include a education and training courses on Sexual Harassment. We further request the Centre for Public Service Innovation (CPSI) find innovative ways of reporting and ensuring that there is compliance in terms dealing the sexual harassment cases.

Education and Skills Development in the Law Enforcement Fraternity (mentorship)

Programme Director,

In efforts to transform the sector beyond, creating enabling policies and legislation and appointing women at all levels including management positions. It became apparent that we also needed to strengthen training and mentorship programmes in order to ensure that we have a pool of trained, qualified capable and capacitated women.

The National School of government was thus established to provide training and mentorship programmes in the Public Service. The School has numerous bilateral agreements with academic institutions that offer a number of courses most aimed to empower women in their different designations.

It is possible to also approach the Principal of the School and present your training needs as a sector, if it’s not provided or covered by the both the NSG and its academic partners.

As the transport sector we have commenced offering law enforcement training through colleges as we are aware gaps in human capital and training needs of the law enforcement sub-sector of the transport sector. To this extent we continue to recruit and train more law enforcement officials.

• Traffic Officer NQF Level 6
• RTMC Traffic Training Academy is currently training a total of 828 Traffic Trainees of which 169 (20%) are women
• There are currently 619 Traffic Trainees enrolled in the 13 traffic colleges across the country on this qualification of which 233 (38%) are women.

The shareholders Committee has approved the National Road Traffic Law Enforcement Code, which proposes the introduction of training such in the following areas:

• Functional Supervision
• Middle management
• Senior management

A conscious effort is continuously being made to ensure the exposure of women to such training so that they can compete equally with their male counterparts.

However, these, action we are taking will not work if those women in senior positions kick the ladder when they have “arrived” as many would say. Mentorship will always remain an important tool in advancing young women recruits.

Women Bursary Holders in Law Enforcement

The Corporation awarded a total of 21 Women in Law enforcement bursaries between 2018 – 2021. Four women have completed their qualifications and 17 are still studying.

Some of the qualifications include Police Science and Practice, Law, Metropolitan and Traffic Policing among some.

The RTMC has shown great improvement in the empowerment of women for occupational levels with 7 women in as qualified professionals in the form of 2 Senior Superintendents out of 5 Superintendents. 

Interns

As regards the intake of interns at the RTMC, it can be learned that the Corporation has recruited 72 interns for the financial year 64% of which are females and 36% male. Our skills development unit, which meets skills development and trainings practitioners across the three spheres of government meet quarterly to deliberate on placements, skills and equity matters regarding he sector.  

We are also aware that the world has changed immensely all around us and part of that change is brought about by digital technologies.

We believe it is within in our reach to ensure greater technological and digital proficiencies among officials in law enforcement.

These advances we are making ladies and gentlemen are based on our commitment to realise the aspirations set out in Sustainable Goals, the National Development Plan. 

While we do not have formal law-enforcement assigned to the rail or aviation environments we continue to find ways of strengthening both the safety and the security of persons and cargo interacting with the transport environment, while we continue to find strength and support from the South African Police Service.

We have recently employed 3,100 security personnel at PRASA and this will be augmented by the already deployed rail police drawn from the SAPS.

Because the Department of Transport has a commitment to contribute to building safer communities as well as promoting social and economic transformation of the transport sector our SOEs pursue a very clear perspective on gender, youth and disability mainstreaming, and therefore with a strong commitment to equity, the empowerment of women and persons with disabilities.

Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF)

Programme Director;

As Government, we are committed to ending Gender-based Violence and Femicide (GBVF). The President announced a five point emergency plan to tackle  GBVF, these include;  strengthening the Criminal Justice system; enhancing the legal and policy frameworks; ensure adequate care, support and healing for victims of violence; improve the economic power of women and have a mass media campaign that will target communities, and public spaces, work-places, campuses, schools and recreational spaces.

As the Department of Transport, we have adopted the National Strategic Plan on Gender-based Violence and Femicide and among others to the ends ensuring its objectives in the transport sector. We have ensured that the department and all our Public Entities have gender responsive budgets.

We have established the Transport Sector Transformation Forum, the forum meets on a quarterly basis to share best practice on the mainstreaming of Gender, disability, youth and children’s issues. The forum comprises of representatives from DoT Branches, Entities and Provinces and municipalities through SALGA.

Conclusion

Ladies and gentlemen;

As women, let us educate and train ourselves to know and demand what is rightfully ours. Let us become more educated, as the doors of learning open. It is time commit to supporting each other as women, and not kick the ladder when we are in positions of management and leadership by supporting mentorship and coaching programmes which will ensure succession planning for women in the Public and private sectors.

This an annual formal organization of women to discuss issues pertaining to their own socio-economic development as far their career-pathing is concerned is a very critical and strategic instrument to the transformation agenda of the safety and security cluster. The existing legacy of inequality will only be dismantled through a conceited collective effort of determined women, who are not apologetic for demanding what the Bill of Rights dictates to be human rights to be discharged fairly to all citizens.

Let us remember that as much as we have all kinds of legislations, we cannot have a law on ethics and morality. We are all called upon to be ethical. Because violations against women and children is a travesty to justice. Silence in acting against Gender-Based Violence is silence to the rights of girl children yet to be born, it is silence to inclusive sustainable development and the emancipation of women but most of all it is a deliberate action of silencing a nation’s soul.  

In closing, I say, let us use our voices to build, empower and encourage one another; and remain resolute in transforming our sector and setting leadership standards that will impact Women Law Enforcers of the future.

It is said that God found some of the strongest women and made them Law enforcement Officers.

I thank you.   

Source: Government of South Africa

The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) welcomes the arrest and subsequent prosecution of four individuals for allegedly colluding to defraud the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure of more than R2.8 million.

On 24 May 2022, Jan Mathebula, Solomon Mojela, Romeo Malope and Prudence Mohale appeared in the Pretoria Commercial Crimes Court on charges of fraud. They were released on bail of R2 000 each and the matter was postponed to 17 June 2022, for further investigation.

The prosecution of Mathebula, Mojela, Malope and Mohale follows an intensive investigation conducted by the SIU in the Public Works and Infrastructure department, which uncovered that supply chain management officials colluded with businesses, friends and family members to defraud the department through cover quoting. Six more individuals are expected to be arrested in the coming days, including the mastermind, and are expected to join the quartet in the box in June.

In February 2015, the Director General of the Public Works department wrote to the SIU indicating that the department had received a number of allegations of corruption related activities regarding the procurement of goods and services at the Pretoria and Durban regional offices. The allegations focused on the day to day maintenance contracts which the department had awarded to service providers and possible cover quoting.

The SIU’s investigation revealed a trend of certain contractors being awarded more contracts than others. This disparate award of contracts was underpinned by a practice that indicated that entities linked to certain individuals/entities appeared to quote in collusion with each other. The invitation of suppliers onto the database of suppliers appears to have created an environment where the database is populated with various entities all linked to a single individual who is the ultimate beneficiary of the contract award.

The analysis of the data from the department revealed that 11 entities linked to one individual submitted quotations to the department, thus misrepresenting to the department that they were obtaining independent quotations. These actions led the department to believe that the markets were dictating the prices being charged when in fact the prices were being determined by the collusive actions of the 11 entities.

The effect of this practice was to ensure that the competitiveness and fairness element relating to public procurement was circumvented, allowing the suppliers, rather than a competitive and cost effective process, to dictate the charged prices.

The SIU was, in terms of Proclamation R20 of 2018, directed by President Cyril Ramaphosa to investigate allegations of corruption, maladministration, malpractice and payments made by the DPW together with the conducts of DPW employees. In line with SIU Act 74 of 1996, the SIU referred evidence pointing to criminality to the National Prosecuting Authority for further action.
 
The prosecution of the four individuals is a continuation of the implementation of the SIU investigation outcomes and consequence management to recover assets and financial losses suffered by State institutions and/or to prevent further losses.

Source: Government of South Africa

MEC of Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs Hon. Nomtsama Lenah Miga, Member of the Provincial Legislature North West Province, Cooperative Governance Vote 9

Speaker of the Provincial Legislature, Basetsana Dantjie
Deputy Speaker, Ntsetsao Motsumi
Honourable Members of the Provincial Legislature
Premier, Bushy Maape
Members of the Executive Council
Executive Mayors and Mayors
Chairperson of SALGA-NW, Cllr Khumalo Molefe
Chairperson of the House of Traditional Leaders, Kgosi Moshe Mabe
Dikgosi tsa rona tse di tlotlegang
Acting Heads of Department of Cogta and Human Settlements
Our deployees in municipalities
Distinguished guests
Members of the Press
Baagi ba North West, dumelang!

Madam Speaker, this policy statement takes place whilst the Province and the country is still dealing with the aftermath of the recent disaster which hit few parts of the country. For example Deelpan in Tswaing Local Municipality, areas in KwaZulu-Natal, the Eastern Cape Province and Postmasburg in the Northern Cape were affected. 

As the Province, we could not just stand and watch when the people of KwaZulu-Natal lost their family members, loved ones and belongings as a result of the floods. Mabogo dinku a thebana….  KwaZuluNatal was declared a Provincial State of Disaster by the National Disaster Management Centre in line with Sections 23 and 41 of the Disaster Management Act 2002 (Act No. 57 of 2002). 

In our response to the disaster, Honourable Members, the Provincial Executive Committee (EXCO) resolved to dispatch a team of fire fighters and engineers who have been trained in urban search and rescue to join the mission to recover the bodies of people who had been washed away during this calamity brought on by floods.

On behalf of the Province, Honourable Premier, I want to take this opportunity to extend our heartfelt appreciation to the team under the stewardship of Mr Daniel Montshusi Mutloane from the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs.

Madam Speaker, our Province was not spared from the disaster caused by the floods as we also experienced heavy rains towards the end of last year until recently which left most areas affected and submerged in water.

The villages of Deelpan, Witpan, Brooksby, Kaalpan and Lombaardslagte in the Tswaing Local Municipality were the worst affected. In Deelpan more than a thousand people were displaced at the height of the floods and had to be evacuated and accommodated in various places, while most have returned home due to water which has now subsided. Forty two (42) are still in temporary shelters. 

We are mostly grateful for the contribution made by our social partners, i.e. the Gift of the Givers, Shoprite and many more other donors for holding our hand and ensuring that the affected communities are able to continue with their lives.

The Department continues to provide Section 154 support to municipalities.  In Ditsobotla, Maquassi Hills and Mamusa Local Municipalities Section 139(1)(b) and (c) interventions were succeeded by a comprehensive support package to enable these municipalities to discharge their mandate of providing quality services to communities within their area of jurisdiction.

Intervention in municipalities

Mmusakgotla, the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs has a Constitutional responsibility of ensuring that municipalities are able to manage their own affairs and provide basic services to communities. 

During 2021/2022 (financial year), the following municipalities were placed under Section 139 (1)(b) intervention : Madibeng Local Municipality, Ramotshere Moilwa Local Municipality, JB Marks, Ratlou and Tswaing. In spite of this there was resistance in some municipalities.

Mmusakgotlha, the decision to put the Tswaing municipality under Section 139 (1)(c) just before the November 1 local government elections was I believe, a decisive one.  It had to happen although it might have seemed unpalatable to some, it was very necessary.

The intervention in municipalities came to an end after the local government elections and expectation is that the current councils will implement the recommendations on the close out reports.

Moses Kotane, Ditsobotla, Mamusa and Maquassi Hills and recently Kagisano Molopo Local Municipalities attracted a lot of media attention due to instability in Council and disruption of service delivery, irregular appointment of senior managers.

The Premier appointed a team comprising of three MECs, i.e. Provincial Treasury, Community Safety and Transport Management (COSTMA) and lastly the MEC for Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs to intervene decisively in the five (5) municipalities to bring the situation under control. 

Engagement sessions have been held with both political and administration leaders of these municipalities and the Mayors have been furnished with reports on issues which they must attend to and they must provide progress reports to the MEC for Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs on regular basis.

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to announce to this house that following the intervention, these municipalities are relatively stable.  An Acting Municipal Manager has been deployed to Maquassi Hills whilst the recruitment process of a substantive Municipal Manager is underway. 

We also deployed an Acting Municipal Manager in Mamusa whose contract will come to an end at the end of June 2022.The Department is engaging Ditsobotla LM on solutions regarding filling of posts and service delivery.

Furthermore our team continues to give support in Tswaing which now has an Acting MM, and various functional experts to turn the situation around under the leadership of a Provincial Executive Representative, Mr Moatlhodi Dilotsotlhe .  We are currently monitoring the implementation of the court order to restore the appointed Speaker and Mayor in KagisanoMolopo.

Appointment of senior managers in municipalities

Most of the contracts of the Municipal Managers will come to an end this year owing to the start of the 5th term of office of new council after the local government elections on 01 November 2021. We implore on the current leadership in Councils, to appoint people with the necessary qualifications, skills and expertise.

In responding to Priority no 1 of the National Development Plan 2030 of creating “a capable, ethical and developmental state”, we will work with municipalities to ensure that suitably qualified personnel are appointed especially at senior management level. We will not hesitate to approach all the necessary institution, including our courts to have any irregular appointments challenged.

CAPACITY BUILDING FOR MUNICIPALITIES

The 5th Local Government elections ushered in the new term of office of councillors.  In partnership with the South African Local Government Association (SALGA), we rolled out an induction programme for the new councillors to prepare them for their new roles and responsibilities and to empower them on post-election obligations which include: (1) Integrated Councillor Induction Programme (ICIP) jointly with SALGA; (2) guidance on establishment of ward committee; (3) induction of ward established committees and (4) the roll-out of 2021 Municipal Staff Regulations.

All Ward Committees have been established and trained. We are committed to continue with the induction of outstanding Ward Committees in an effort to strengthen their functionality so that they serve our communities diligently.  We will continue to monitor and support Ward Committees working through the Speakers of various Councils.

In strengthening the functionality of Ward Committees, we commit to facilitate the establishment of District Ward Committee Functionality Support Forums (DWCFSF) to give impetus to the District Development Model (DDM). In addition, to support communication of the citizens with all Organs of State, we will roll-out and mainstream the implementation of GOVCHAT software in municipalities.

Financial Management/Municipal Public Accounts Committee (MPAC)

The new members of the Municipal Public Accounts Committee (MPAC) have been trained on their new roles and responsibilities, following the induction programme of all Councils coordinated by the South African Local Government Association (SALGA). Our expectation is that the MPACs must exercise their oversight over the Executive functionaries of Councils and ensure good governance in our municipalities.

For the 2022/23 financial year, a specific focus will be given to the newly established MPACs and their support staff by capacitating them on their oversight roles and responsibilities. This will include the appointment of 1 researcher per district, which will run as a pilot for a year. Over and above this, having signed out the determination of upper limits municipalities shall be required to provide tools of trade to empower MPACs to conduct effective oversight over Executive actions and Annual Reports and the assessments of Unauthorised, Irregular, Fruitless and Wasteful (UIF&W) expenditure.

Audit outcomes of municipalities

Madam Speaker, the municipal audit outcomes for 2019/2020 painted a bleak picture about our Province. A total neglect of internal controls and discipline has been cited as the reason for financial and operational collapse and weakened governance processes which led to lack of accountability.

Out of 22 municipalities in the Province, only three (3) received an unqualified audit opinion and they are: (Moretele and Matlosana local municipalities and Dr KK District municipality). Only two (2) new improved from qualified to unqualified during the 2020/21 financial year.

A further three (3) municipalities moved from disclaimer to qualified audit opinion, i.e. Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District Municipality and Lekwa-Teemane and Rustenburg local municipalities. We must move to a situation where all municipalities receive clean audit opinions.

A concern must be registered on the continuous adverse audit opinion by Ngaka Modiri District Municipality. We commit to initiate a separate programme that shall help this municipality to improve its performance.

Honourable Members, it cannot be business as usual that across the length and breadth of the Province funds get spent and there is no accountability, and no consequence management whatsoever. Ka Setswana re ka re ga se kwa ga-mmapereko….  We will work closely with the Department of Finance, the Auditor General to turn the situation around.

The Department will continue to conduct detailed assessments as per requirement of Municipal Financial Management Act (MFMA) section 131 and provide feedback to municipalities on corrective measures to be taken.  We are concerned,  Honourable Members, about the non-implementation of the Post Audit Action Plans (PAAP) by municipalities which results in poor audit outcomes.

We will therefore, have to monitor the implementation of PAAP through a number of structures such as the Internal Audit, Audit Committees and MPACs and follow up on the implementation of recommendations management in order to address audit. This shall also be monitored at MUNIMEC level and on a quarterly basis reports of progress will have to be tabled at Councils.

Revenue management and enhancement

Municipalities are still faced with a challenge of poor revenue collection which has a direct impact of their ability to provide services to communities. Honourable Members, we are worried about the non-payment of municipal services (rates and taxes) by debtors especially government departments, this category of debtors are really not supposed to owe municipalities.

We have been engaging with government departments to facilitate the payment of outstanding debt and have raised the matter sharply with departments and there are those that committed to start servicing their debts.

The National Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) is working with the National Department of Public Works and Infrastructure to facilitate payments of rates and services.

The department will enlist the services of an expert to assist five (5) municipalities: namely; Kgetlengrivier, Ditsobotla, Mamusa, Maquassi Hills and Tswaing local municipalities with data cleansing exercise. The project is aimed at assisting municipalities to have accurate, complete and reliable data to ensure billing integrity.

Honourable Members, municipalities generate revenue through rates and taxes and I would like to take this opportunity to appeal to everyone who resides within the boundaries of a municipality, to do the right thing by paying their municipal accounts or to at least enter into a payment arrangement with their local municipalities.

We have already assisted Mamusa and Naledi local municipalities with the reconciliation of the valuation with the financial management system in order to facilitate a complete interface between the financial system and the valuation roll.

Source: Government of South Africa

Inclement weather cannot keep Minister Allen away from patrolling with Neighbourhood Watch 

Although there was inclement weather across the greater Cape Town last night, the Western Cape Minister of Police Oversight and Community Safety, Reagen Allen, still conducted a patrol with the Neighbourhood Watch (NHW) in the Somerset West area. This comes after he also went on patrol in the Greater Elsiesriver area last week Friday.

In Somerset West, where approximately 70 people joined, 5 NHW’s, which consisted of Victoria Park, Lorencia Park, Helderzicht, Figrove and various structures under the Macassar NHW joined the patrol. Also accompanying were CPF members, SAPS, Metro Police, 2 private security firms and Ward Councillors.

The Greater Elsiesriver, had approximately 60 people on patrol, which included members from the Leonsdale, Avonwood, Salbrau, Norwood, Ruyterwacht and Matroosfontein NHW’s, the CPF, SAPS, Metro Police, Member of Parliament, Ms Alexandra Abrahams and Ward Councillors.

To date, Minister Allen has already patrolled in Tafelsig, Mitchells Plain, Woodstock, Greater Elsiesriver and Somerset West. In total, 17 NHW’s have been part of these patrols. In all patrols, the SAPS and City of Cape Town Metro Police were also present, while in some instances, such as Woodstock and Somerset West, private security firms also joined the patrols. More than 430 brave men and women who are mostly volunteers have been on these safety walks.  

Minister Allen said: “I cannot thank our volunteers from the various community structures enough for their commitment. These men and women are the true heroes of their communities and I applaud them for going the extra mile for and in their communities. It’s pleasing to note how SAPS and other law enforcement agencies are supporting and assisting our volunteers, and how in certain instances the private security sector is also contributing to the fight against crime in this context. There is a definite opportunity to get a lot more participation from the broader private sector, as this talks to how we all, both public and private can play a bigger role in combatting crime.” 

“As I’ve committed to at least 30 neighbourhood watches within my first 100 days, I’m looking forward to patrolling with others across the Western Cape. Thank you to those who have thus far extended invitations to patrol with them. The more we work together, the greater the chance of us removing crime from our areas,” concluded Minister Allen. 

Source: Government of South Africa

Minister Gungubele to brief media on outcomes of the Cabinet Meeting held on the 25th May 2022

The Minister in The Presidency, Mondli Gungubele will, on Thursday, 26 May 2022 brief media on the outcomes of the Cabinet meeting held on Wednesday, 25th May 2022.  

The details of the briefing are as follows:
Date: Thursday, 26 May 2022
Time: 09h00
Venue: GCIS Ronnie Mamoepa Media Centre, Ground Floor, Tshedimosetso House, 1035 Francis Baard Street, Hatfield.   

Source: Government of South Africa

Five municipal ward by-elections will take place in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga and Northern Cape on Wednesday, 1 June 2022. 

The twenty candidates from ten political parties and two independent candidates will contest the by-elections.

In Gauteng: 

Ward 29 in the Rand West City  Municipality – GT485  will be contested by Wanelisa  Moche from the African National Congress (ANC), Petrus Popo Sebe from Azanian People’s  Organisation (AZAPO), Dorah Nonhlanhla Tshupane from Democratic Alliance (DA) and Lindokuhle Emmanuel Biyela from the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF). 

The ward was previously represented by the ANC and became vacant as a result of the death of a councillor. The voter turnout for this ward in the 2021 municipal elections was 34,90% and the ANC candidate won the ward with 47.95% of valid votes.

Ward 53 in the City of Johannesburg Municipality – JHB will be contested by Duduzile Ngubeni from the ActionSA; Ntshavheni Thovhedzo Mutavhatsindi from the African National Congress (ANC), Ramaru August Mohale from the Democratic Alliance (DA), Sunboy Mukhabela from the Economic Freedom Fighters  (EFF); and Mbhekeni Abednigo Shongwe an Independent candidate. 

The ward was previously represented by the ANC and became vacant as a result of the death of a councillor. The voter turnout for this ward in the 2021 municipal elections was 37% and the ANC candidate won the ward with 59.01% of valid votes.

In KwaZulu-Natal:

Ward 03 in the uMvoti Municipality – KZN245 will be contested by Msawenkosi Phungula from the Abantu Batho Congress (ABC), Sphiwe Sihle Ndlovu from the African National Congress (ANC), Mzwandille Ximba from the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and Sthembiso Wiseman Mthembu from the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP).  

The ward was previously represented by the ABC and became vacant as a result of the councillor’s resignation. The voter turnout for this ward in the 2021 municipal elections was  62,79% and the ABC candidate won the ward with 40.53% of valid votes.

In Mpumalanga: 

Ward 10 in the Dr JS Moroka Municipality – MP316 will be contested by Lucky Dick Masango from the  African Independent People’s Organisation (AIPO), Nteteleng Joseph Mashabela from African National  Congress (ANC); Patrick Peter Masango from the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and George Randall Mahlangu an Independent Candidate. 

The ward was previously represented by the ANC and became vacant as a result of the death of a councillor. The voter turnout for this ward in the 2021 municipal elections was 42,57% and the ANC candidate won the ward with 65.96% of valid votes.

In the Northern Cape: 

Ward 04 in the Kareeberg Municipality – NC074 will be contested by Elton Abraham Charlies from the African National  Congress (ANC); Johan Hendrik Vermeulen from the Democratic Alliance (DA), Patrick Erick Jann from the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), Mercia Marisa Swarts from the Kareeberg Civic Movement (KCM) and Eunice Esta Boezak from the Patriotic Alliance (PA). 

The ward was previously represented by the ANC and became vacant as a result of the councillor’s resignation. The voter turnout for this ward in the 2021 municipal elections was 50,64% and the ANC candidate won the ward with 32.53% of valid votes.

Source: Government of South Africa