Who are SALGA and what do they do?

How much do you really know about the South Africa Local Government Association (SALGA)? If their social media platforms are anything to go by - the @SALGA_Gov Twitter account only has 375 followers and they have just 415 likes on their Facebook page - the public need to be better informed about this important local government organisation.

Who are they?

People’s Assembly attended a SALGA briefing to the Select Committee on Appropriations today where SALGA Chairperson Thabo Manyoni said they are “an advocacy body” who “lobby for local government” and that they also “assist municipalities” with the delivery of services such as water.

Manyoni added that SALGA recently received a clean audit. Councillor Subesh Pillay told the committee that SALGA was established in 1996 and after being gazetted in January 1998 was officially recognised as the body representing local government. While SALGA is officially recognised, “SALGA is not a statutory body,” Pillay said.

Section 163 of the Constitution provides for the recognition of national and provincial organisations representing municipalities. The Organised Local Government Act (1997) also recognises one national organisation that represents the majority of provincial organisations, which in turn represent the majority of municipalities. That national organisation must designate no more than 10 persons to participate in the proceedings of the National Council of Provinces (NCOP).

SALGA’s mandate is to “transform local government to enable it to fulfil is developmental mandate,” Pillay said. SALGA essentially protects and represents the interest of local government as acts as an employer body of sorts for it’s municipal members. As well as building capacity and developing leadership of municipalities they support and advise their members and work to improve the image of local government. SALGA also serves as a knowledge and information-sharing hub.

Municipalities pay a membership fee to be part of SALGA.

Some of their flagship projects for 2014/15 include phased implementation of the SALGA Centre for Leadership and Governance in an “effort to professionalise the sector”. SALGA will also be initiating an executive coaching programme for municipal leaders, and a multi-disciplinary support and advisory programme for improved municipal audits. An anti-corruption programme based on the resolutions of the SALGA Anti-Corruption Summit will also be implemented over the next financial year.

Pillay told MPS that a mechanism was needed to assist municipalities with revenue expenditure in cases of under spending, rather than funds being returned to National Treasury. SALGA is also considering a small town regeneration programme to “unlock rural economies” but also because government largely focused on developing big urban areas. Pillay also said that SALGA wanted to convene a local government job creation summit.