Let me
start by saying that earlier on my colleague, Minister Nkosazana Dlamini- Zuma, indicated the new development in relation to the powers of the Auditor-General, AG, where the AG is now empowered to, on his own, decide on measures in relation to irregular and fruitless expenditure and other related expenditures. He is empowered to issue a certificate to the accounting officer relevant ... a certificate of liability in terms of which the relevant accounting officer can be made solely liable for whatever fruitless or irregular expenditure ... That's measure number one. All of us support that and we think it's taking the right direction in terms of, not only enjoining accounting officers to do their work and do it perfectly, but also in terms of consequence.
Apart of that, EAs, service supervisors, to their HODs, and directors- general, DGs, ... and one of the things
that all of us as Ministers have to do is to minister, meaning that we have a duty to ensure that whatever accountability measures we implement ... and follow up on those measures. There are many in all the departments, and in turn HODs and DGs have similar responsibilities done as per deployment of powers to perform particular tasks.
Question 306:
The MINISTER OF CO-OPERATIVE GOVERNANCE AND TRADITIONAL
AFFAIRS: Thank you very much. The prerogative of intervening in a municipality lies with the province. The province can intervene and the procedure is clear; the executive council must take are solution to intervene, they can intervene, for instance, under section 154 but usually they intervene under section 139, when the municipality fails in its responsibility, whether in governance, or financial and service delivery and they can intervene by issuing out directives or taking over administration under 139(b) or by dissolving the municipality under section 139(c), or by taking the appropriate steps to ensure that the budget or revenue measures are improved under section 139(4), or by placing
a recovery plan and possible dissolution of municipal council under section 139(5).
The National Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs have no locus standi in intervening. However, what is required under section 139(b) is that when the province has taken the decision to intervene there must get concurrence with the national Department of Co- operative Governance and Traditional Affairs, but if it is under section 139(5) we just get informed we don't have to concur. So, the question is, whether I have any intention of intervening? I cannot intervene. Thank you.