Hlabisa Calls for Strong, Accountable Municipalities

Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Velenkosini Hlabisa, officially opened the CoGTA Sector Strategic Planning Session on 10 November 2025 at Birchwood, Boksburg, calling on local government leaders to prepare municipalities for a more accountable and ethical five-year term following the 2026 elections.

Advertisement

What Happened

Flanked by Deputy Ministers Dr Namane Dickson Masemola and Prince Zolile Burns-Ncamashe, Minister Hlabisa described the two-day session as “a moment of reckoning a time to take stock and chart a new course for capable, ethical, and developmental local government.”

He urged municipal leaders to end the cycle of weak governance by ensuring that:

• No unfunded budgets are adopted by councils.
• All municipalities submit annual financial statements on time.
• Indigent registers are credible to protect vulnerable households.
• Municipalities with poor audit outcomes receive focused support to improve.

Official Response

The Minister stressed that the session must go beyond diagnosis.

Advertisement

“This session must be about implementation, coherence, and collaboration across all spheres of government,” said Hlabisa.

Director-General Mbulelo Tshangana stressed the need for alignment between national, provincial, and municipal strategies, noting that unified performance indicators are essential to measure progress in governance and service delivery.

Community Impact

The session brought together MECs for Local Government, the SALGA Presidency, the National House of Traditional and Khoisan Leaders, the Auditor-General South Africa, and senior officials from key departments.
All participants shared one goal: to make every municipality functional, transparent, and people-centred.