GQEBERHA — The MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) in the Eastern Cape, Zolile Williams, successfully hosted a two-day Political MuniMec forum at the Coega Vulindlela Conference Centre in Gqeberha on August 22-23, 2024.
The Political MuniMec, a quarterly meeting chaired by the MEC for COGTA, serves as a critical platform for coordinating efforts between national, provincial, and municipal governments. Attendees included mayors, municipal managers, CEOs of Municipal Development Agencies, CEOs of Water Boards, and senior managers from the Department of COGTA. The forum’s purpose aligns with Chapter 3 of the Constitution, which emphasizes cooperative governance to ensure that municipal actions are consistent with national and provincial objectives.
Throughout the two-day session, participants discussed key issues affecting municipalities, including service delivery, financial performance, infrastructure development, budgeting, and electricity supply. The forum also provided an opportunity for the MEC to hold municipal councils accountable for their actions and performance.
One of the session’s highlights was the noted improvement in the expenditure of the Municipal Infrastructure Grant (MIG) and the Integrated Electricity National Programme
(INEP) by municipalities during the 2023/24 financial year. This success was attributed to the introduction of the Risk Adjusted Strategy (RAS), which resulted in municipalities spending 100% of their MIG allocations for the first time, eliminating the need to return funds to the National Treasury.
However, the forum also expressed concern over the persistent issue of incomplete infrastructure projects, particularly stadiums, where taxpayers’ money is wasted. In response, a one-day session focusing on the District Development Model (DDM) was proposed to address the bottlenecks hindering the model’s implementation.
Disaster management was another key area of focus. The session emphasized the need to train communities in disaster response skills and improve disaster management coordination across the province through the DDM. Additionally, the forum addressed the tragic issue of initiate deaths, calling for greater collaboration among stakeholders to prevent these incidents. The central role of parents in the initiation process and the ongoing training of traditional nurses and surgeons were highlighted as critical measures.
Progress reports on catalytic projects in the province, including the Mtentu and Msikaba Bridge projects under the Eastern Seaboard development, were also presented. However, the forum raised concerns about the growing problem of extortion and protection fees demanded by syndicates at construction sites, which are stalling service delivery, delaying projects, and damaging the local economy.
Finally, the Political MuniMec underscored the importance of improving unqualified audit opinions in municipalities. It was stressed that municipalities must strive for better audit outcomes and seek provincial intervention if necessary.
The two-day forum concluded with a renewed commitment to addressing the challenges facing Eastern Cape municipalities and ensuring that governance at all levels is effective and accountable.
