Hon Deputy Speaker, it is surprising when the progressive move is being done by the ANC that everybody will try to put some holes where there are none at all. The ANC took a decision in 1991 - I do not know where you were, in 1991 in the 48th Conference in Durban to establish the ward to ward local government. As informed in terms of the Constitution of South Africa Chapter 7 of the forming of the local government.
In the Ready to Govern Policy Document, the ANC in 1992 put as a requirement to establish local government. So, today it is to amend the Municipal Structures Amendments
that we are dealing with today. Therefore, as the ANC-led government we believe that those amendments that are required are some of the minor challenges that have been experienced at a local government level as well as by the Independent Election Commission in terms of setting up the municipal structures in different municipalities. This is the reason we are today saying that we want to amend.
Over and above that we must remember that in terms of the establishment of the Municipal Public Accounts Committee, it has not been catered for in the Act. Therefore, this is assisting us to make sure that there is accountability and monitoring as we are committed to the clean governance as the ANC. We therefore believe that in terms of the participatory democracy we need to make sure that we amend these Acts. This will assist us in terms of where there are municipalities which are refusing to establish the ward committees. This amendment will assist us to establish those ward committees for us to be able to have a proper participatory democracy for our people.
We applaud the committee for the work that has been done to do this amendment because when the Act is being amended you need to consult and the people have to put their voices in it. This has been so in this Bill. As the South African - I beg your pardon, as the ANC we would like to support the Bill. [Interjections.] Of course the SACP supports the Bill as well. Thank you very much. [Applause.]