You know - the planning, monitoring and evaluation approach is an approach that government has just adopted a few years ago, but such an approach has also not found concrete expression even at local level. We are of course busy trying to ensure that such an approach is rolled out to our provincial offices, through the offices of the premiers. Therefore, this exercise that we have started is indeed a work in progress.
After some time, all of us will do some evaluation and see whether there are any other activities we need to include in our planning, monitoring and evaluation efforts, but at the moment we think we are on track. We know that there are many other metros and municipal offices that also are getting assistance from us to ensure that there is effective monitoring at those levels as well. I can assure you that if we didn't have the capacity to plan, monitor and evaluate, the probability
is that we would be in a worse off situation now. Thank you very much.
Question 290:
The MINISTER OF CO-OPERATIVE GOVERNANCE AND TRADITIONAL
AFFAIRS: Thank you very much. I think it's important for us to understand the different spheres and what their responsibilities are.
Now to be asked about tenders in the municipalities is a bit too much because you can't quote me any regulation or rule that says the National Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs can now intervene in tenders at the municipalities. I think we must accept where we do not have the legislative or legal means to go and intervene in a municipality on tenders. There are rules; there are regulations on how municipalities must issue tenders.
Now if they issue them fraudulently, the law must take its course. So for me, all I can say is that the Municipal Finance Management Act empowers the National Treasury to play directive and oversight. But to this
end, the Treasury on 30 May 2014 published the Municipal Regulations on Financial Misconduct Procedures and Criminal Proceedings. These regulations set out processes and procedures and reporting requirements to expeditiously deal with allegations of financial misconduct. These regulations must be read together with the Municipal Systems Act, 2000, and the regulations issued in terms thereof.
Furthermore, municipalities are required to establish disciplinary boards to assist the municipal council or the board of directors of a municipal entity with the investigation of allegations of financial misconduct.
For our part and in order to reinforce our efforts to fight corruption and promote good governance, the department has rolled out training programmes since the beginning of 2017-18 financial year in each district level on the Local Government Anti-Corruption Strategy and the Municipal Integrity Management Framework. The strategy sets out the objectives that must be pursued by municipalities to prevent and combat corruption.
The department has almost completed the training in the 90% of the districts and metros. This will be completed in the next financial year.
So, in combating and further preventing corruption, the department is working with provinces and municipalities to ensure the implementation of recommendations emanating from forensic reports. Most of the forensic reports made recommendations that certain remedial or other corrective measures should be taken.
Furthermore, the department is collaborating with the SA Local Government Association, Salga, the Ethics Institute
and the Moral Regeneration Movement to launch the local government ethical leadership initiative.
In addition to this, the department will continue to collaborate with law enforcement agencies such as Special Investigating Unit, SIU, the Hawks and National Prosecuting Authority to support investigation and prosecutions in municipalities, as well as the implementation of recommendations emanating from the
forensic reports. That's what we are doing. That's what the Treasury has done. But we have no direct way of intervening. Thank you.