Hon Chairperson, during President Zuma's previous term, the President initiated the much vaunted Local Government Turnaround Strategy. The objectives of this strategy were to, and I quote:
... restore the confidence of communities in local government ...
... rebuild and improve the basic requirements for a functional, responsive, accountable effective and efficient developmental local government.
What does this mean? In short, it really looks like we are agreeing that municipalities are dysfunctional, nonresponsive, ineffective, wasteful, inefficient and unaccountable, not creating environments for growth and development.
Five years later President Zuma announced his administration's intention to launch another plan of action to revitalise local government. I must say that the President really revitalised it by giving us a new Ministry and, Minister, although you have a daunting task ahead of you, this shows that we are serious about local government. We have faith that you can help us to get local government in this country to work.
We have some questions to ask. Why did the Local Government Turnaround Strategy fail? What are the root causes of the ills affecting local government in our country? Why are we unable to provide the most basic requirements for proper, functional local government? Why is local government failing us?
In addressing this question and identifying issues affecting municipal governance, I wish to draw your attention to issues identified in the Medium-Term Strategic Framework of the Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs. The MTSF refers, firstly, to political issues including, and I quote, "weak political leadership". It appears that there is a lack of will to ensure good and clean municipal governance where there is a need for governance. Secondly, the MTSF refers to political deployments, not always competent appointments; lack of professionalism; technical skills gaps and lack of relevant competencies; lack of career progression; and poor attitudes and values of staff. The remedy could be simple if we stopped the practice of deployment; if we stopped appointing cadres; and if we stopped abusing and corrupting affirmative action. South Africans have skills and competencies - appoint them.
Thirdly, the MTSF referred to corruption with no consequences and also to incoherent and complex local government legislation. Minister, corruption is endemic and it is committed with impunity. One piece of legislation is the Municipal Finance Management Act that I am holding in my hand here. In an effort to stop corruption, we had to have the regulations in this Act. How do we expect a very small municipality like Ingwe to reinforce them? Minister, if we don't have a clear separation between the administration and the politics, we will not make local government work. [Interjections.] It will never work.
I want to take you back to the North Coast in 2001. Minister, a town clerk/municipal manager that worked there for a salary of R104 000 a year was replaced by a music professor who earned more than a Member of Parliament or the Minister, at R1,6 million. [Interjections.] Those are the types of ills being dealt with. What used to go into service delivery is now being exhausted elsewhere. I thank you. [Time expired.] [Applause.]