House Chair, good afternoon to the Deputy Minister. Not so long ago the President stated that all officials that are found to be corrupt must be held to account. What I would like to
know from you, Minister, is whether you are going to take this call by the President seriously and whether you, today, will undertake to table a full comprehensive report to this select committee and the extent of the maladministration. I would also like to know how you are going to hold people accountable or how you will charge them according to or before Chapter 9 and 10 institutions. Thank you very much.
The DEPUTY MINISTER OF CO-OPERATIVE GOVERNANCE AND TRADITIONAL
AFFAIRS (Mr M Tau): Hon House Chairperson, as indicated, we, as a department, hold the database of those that are acting in a manner that is contravention of the Supply Chain Management Regulations Act and a manner that is corrupt or are guilty of financial misconduct so that an appropriate action is taken against them and that these are not recruited into other municipalities. This database has been kept and has worked to a great deal in assisting municipalities to identify those individuals and intervene appropriately.
In line with the legal opinion that we have sought with regards to the application of the database we should be able to indicate to the select committee the process going forward as soon as we have provide clarity in the circular project as to how the database would
be managed, controlled and how this information would be shared with relevant stakeholders. Thank you very much.
Question 113:
The DEPUTY MINISTER OF CO-OPERATIVE GOVERNANCE AND TRADITIONAL
AFFAIRS: Hon Chairperson, the department has through the Municipal Infrastructure Support Agent, MISA, deployed resources to 87 municipalities to enhance municipal capacity assessment, improved municipal infrastructure planning and operation and maintenance. The resources are in the form of nine chief civil engineers, 34 civil engineers and technologies, 14 town and regional planners and nine provincial managers. These teams are supported by a back office of sector specialists in water, sanitation, energy, operation and maintenance and solid waste management. Eighteen water service authorities in the district municipalities are supported through MISA's infrastructure inspectorate to assess the functionality of water and sanitation infrastructure.
The OR Tambo, Sekhukhune and Amathole District Municipalities are supported through the implementation of the regional management support programme. Thirty municipalities are supported with the development and implementation of the Spatial Planning and Land Use Management Act 16 of 2013, compliant plans and the department is
supporting selected municipalities to address gaps within revenue management through the development of simplified revenue plans to improve the quality of data, reduce municipal-consumer debt and increase collection of revenue. Thirty municipalities were assisted in the prior year and 35 municipalities are currently being assisted.
The department has developed prototype staff establishment to assist municipalities within the administrative and financial capacity to establish and organise the administrations in such a manner that are responsive to the needs of communities. The objective of these prototypes is to establish uniform standards for review of municipal staff establishment while ensuring efficiency and effectiveness in municipalities.
The department will also promulgate regulations, setting out uniform standards for staff members below the management echelon. These regulations will provide a governance framework for the appointment of municipal employees with a necessary technical and professional skills and capabilities. It could also incorporate a competency framework in occupational classes in local government that regulates minimum standards for recruitment, selection and appointment. And will create a career public service and foster all municipal
employees to participate in the performance management system of a municipality in order to maximise the ability of the municipality as a whole to achieve its objectives.
We will also ensure that municipal employees who are not performing optimally are held accountable. Strengthening checks and balances by ensuring that municipalities comply with the minimum competency requirements and providing for consequences of appointments made in contradiction of the procedures and criteria as set out in the amendment act.
Furthermore, the support is provided through the assessment of audit action plans for adequacy on the implementation of audit action plans through participation in intergovernmental forums. In addition, the sector departments within the local government space convene and engage on core areas which include monitoring compliance with the Municipal Financial Management Act, MFMA, and its supporting regulations.
On the issues raised by the Auditor-General, AG, and financial recovery plans, the attendance of Municipal Audit Committees and audit committee meetings where root causes of issues raised by the
AG are discussed and the review of annual financial statements are largely done at a provincial level.
The department, in collaboration with National Treasury and South African Local Government Association, Salga, developed a guideline on municipal public audit committees to assist the MPEX to perform their oversight and other related responsibilities which include reviewing and recommending to council, actions or otherwise relating to the expenditure and conclusion of unauthorised irregular and fruitless expenditure, UIFE and [Inaudible]. The implementation of the district delivery model, underpinned by back to basics programme offers a ready platform to address the systemic challenges to including concerns raised by the AG in relation to municipal performance, thank you very much.