- High-Level Oversight Visit to Buffalo City Metro: Deputy Minister Dr. Masemola led a national delegation to evaluate municipal performance and service delivery in Buffalo City, emphasizing accountability and efficiency.
- Part of the ‘Every Municipality Must Work’ Initiative: This engagement aims to strengthen governance by addressing challenges and restoring effective service delivery within South Africa’s local government sector.
- Focus on Governance Challenges and Solutions: The session brought together key stakeholders to identify obstacles, such as political interference, and develop actionable solutions for municipal improvement.
Buffalo City Metro came under the national spotlight this week as the Deputy Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta), Dr. Namane Dickson Masemola, led a high-level oversight visit aimed at strengthening municipal performance and improving service delivery.
Joined by Eastern Cape MEC for Cogta, Mr. Zolile Williams, the engagement forms part of the national “Every Municipality Must Work” programme, an initiative designed to boost accountability and restore efficiency across the local government sector.
The session, held in East London, brought together key players from the National Treasury, local councillors, and various government departments. The focus: identifying the roadblocks to effective governance and finding solutions that can be put into action.
One of the most pressing issues raised during the engagement was political interference in municipal administration. MEC Williams did not hold back in his remarks, stating, “When politicians interfere in administration, it creates confusion over roles and responsibilities. This lack of clarity fuels political instability, which continues to undermine the effective functioning of our municipalities.”
The oversight visit is part of the District Development Model (DDM) approach, which encourages closer coordination between national, provincial, and local spheres to deliver better services and ensure that planning is integrated and community-focused.
This initiative represents a critical step in restoring public confidence in municipal leadership by calling out governance failures and pushing for structured reform.
Officials say the outcome of this engagement will inform future interventions in Buffalo City and other struggling municipalities across the province.
