Deputy President Paul Mashatile: SALGA National Members Assembly

Programme Director and Facilitator, Ms Kathy Mohlahlane;
SALGA President, Cllr Bheke Charles Stofile;
SALGA Executive Deputy Presidents, Cllr Flora Maboa-Boltman, Cllrs Xola Pakati and Xanthea Limberg;
Members of the National Executive Committee of SALGA;
Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Mr Velenkosini Hlabisa;
Minister of Small Business Development, Ms Stella Ndabeni;
Deputy Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Dr Dickson Masemola;
Mayor of the Host City, Ethekwini Municipality, Cllr Cyril Xaba;
Chairperson of the Public Service Commission, Prof Somadoda Fikeni;
Secretary-General of SAMWU, Cde Dumisani Magagula;
Secretary-General of IMATU, Mr Johan Koen;
Leadership of all Organised Labour present;
Business Representatives, Sponsors and Exhibitors;
Distinguished Guests and Delegates to the SALGA NMA;
Ladies and Gentlemen, 
Sanibonani! Dumelang! Avuxeni! Molweni! Good afternoon!

I am deeply honoured to address you today on this second day of the South African Local Government Association’s (SALGA) National Assembly, where we come together to chart a path towards a brighter future for our municipalities and our nation as a whole.

This Assembly takes place during the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children, which was launched two days ago. We do not doubt SALGA’s commitment to gender equity, the Women’s Commission, and advocacy for safe, empowered communities.

We firmly believe that Local Government has a critical role to play in eliminating the scourge of Gender-Based Violence and Femicide in our communities.

Let us continue to advance gender equity. Through this annual 16 Days of Activism Campaign, let us create communities where women and children are safe, empowered, and free from violence. Let us ensure that collective responsibility becomes a lived reality.

Moreover, this month of November marks the 29th anniversary of the formation of a unified South African Local Government Association.

As you might be well aware, SALGA’s story began in 1996, at the historic National Summit for Organised Local Government here in Durban.

From those early days, SALGA has grown into the unified voice of South Africa’s 257 municipalities, championing the interests of local government and driving transformation at the grassroots level. It has played a pivotal role in lobbying and advocating for the needs of our communities, fostering development, and improving service delivery.

For us who have been in Government, we recognise the role played by SALGA in the enactment of key legislation aimed at improving service delivery at the local government level, including the Electoral Laws Amendment Act of 2021, Spatial Planning and Land Use Management Act of 2013, the Disaster Management Amendment Act, including SALGA’s involvement on current consultations on the Municipal Structures Amendment Bill (Coalitions Bill).

Your steadfast dedication as SALGA, as well as your involvement in intergovernmental forums and the National Council of Provinces (NCOP), have enabled you to successfully push for these improvements, ensuring that the legal framework supports municipalities in carrying out their service delivery mandates.

We also appreciate the participation of SALGA on the National Dialogue on Coalition Governments that we convened at the University of the Western Cape in August 2023.

The recommendations and final declaration of the Dialogue on Coalition Government have paved the way for the development of an overarching framework that will guide coalition arrangements at local government level.

One of the critical priorities of this government is to build a capable, ethical, and developmental state.

To give effect to this strategic Government has introduced several policy and legislative reforms. We are therefore pleased to report to this Assembly that Parliament is currently processing the Public Service Commission Amendment Act to extend the mandate of the Public Service Commission (PSC) to include local government and public entities.

This extension aims to strengthen the PSC's powers to professionalise the public service across all three spheres of government.

We call on all Members of Organised Local Government to support government’s efforts to introduce reforms that will improve the work of Local Government.

In this regard President Cyril Ramaphosa has launched Phase 2 of Operation Vulindlela. Phase 2 of Operation Vulindlela focuses on accelerating economic reforms to achieve faster and more inclusive growth by addressing structural constraints in key sectors like energy, water, and local 
government.

Key priorities include establishing a competitive electricity market, reforming water resource management, improving the visa system, and strengthening local governments.

As part of these reforms, the Minister of COGTA, Honourable Hlabisa is conducting continuous engagements on the review of the 1998 White Paper on Local Government. These engagements involve stakeholders from various sectors to gather input on modernising the local government system and addressing persistent challenges.

The goal is to publish a revised White Paper by March 2026. SALGA must be in the forefront of shaping the future of our local government, hence your full participation in this review process is highly encouraged.

We are therefore pleased that this National Members Assembly presents a platform for members to advance their policy proposals that will take our local government forward.

Programme Directors,
It is laudable that after 29 years, SALGA remains committed to nurturing a renewed social contract between citizens and the Local Government sector by maintaining ongoing interactions with communities.

It is important that you continue to fulfil the tremendous duty of bridging the gap between the citizenry and the local government.

This administration continues to view you as a crucial and relevant component in formulating policies aimed at enhancing service delivery at the local government level, which serves as the coalface of service delivery.

I must emphasise that Local Government represents the frontline of service delivery, affecting the daily lives of all citizens.

As we stand on the eve of the 7th Local Government Elections, we urge you to stay ready to support the capacity and governance of municipalities and prepare incoming councillors for their roles.

Most importantly, you must advocate for political parties to elect candidates who are ethical, principled, and competent to improve service delivery and build public trust for the betterment of South Africa.

Considering the current political landscape, there is a need to prepare frameworks and offer support tailored to addressing governance challenges. This includes effectively managing coalition governments and tackling issues related to political instability.

Distinguished Delegates,

Empowering Municipalities for Growth and Service Delivery

This year's theme, "Empowering municipalities to drive South Africa's growth agenda through economic resilience and sustainable service delivery," encapsulates the central role that local governments play in shaping the economic and social landscape of our country.

The theme speaks to the critical role of municipalities in steering our nation towards a robust economic future amidst the complexities of local governance.

It calls on us to leverage our unique mandates to address the pressing challenges of economic stagnation, urbanisation pressures, climate change, infrastructure backlogs, and capacity constraints. It invites all of Government and all of society to collaborate in reshaping economic resilience and sustainability at the municipal level.

Our municipalities are the bedrock of our communities, and it is through their diligence, innovation, and dedication that we can achieve sustainable development and prosperity for all.

It is imperative that we continue to work together, to collaborate and innovate, to ensure that our municipalities are equipped to meet the needs of our communities and drive sustainable development across the country.

We must prioritise economic resilience, invest in infrastructure and services, and embrace new technologies and approaches to service delivery. By doing so, we can create an environment where businesses thrive, communities prosper, and each individual has the opportunity to realise their full potential.

As I have stated, we all agree that Local Government is the sphere of government that is closest to our people. It is through municipalities that democracy connects with daily life, through the provision of water, energy, sanitation, roads, and public order among other things.

Functional municipalities are the entry point to the State’s legitimacy. They are the engines of development, the custodians of service delivery, and the guardians of public trust.

In this regard, SALGA’s journey over the past 29 years has been marked by achievements that inspire both pride and confidence. 
From 13 clean audits to global leadership, from capacity building to advocacy, SALGA has persistently shaped effective, accountable, and future-ready local government.

As we look ahead, we must acknowledge that the next three decades will require bold reforms. These are reforms that will forever alter the course of local government and set us on an upward trajectory of urgent and sustainable delivery.

Ladies and Gentlemen, it is my hope that this National Members Assembly will not shy away from boldly envisioning the next phase of local government as we close this seminal chapter in the history of democratic local government.

The Presidency of this seventh Administration of Government reaffirms its support for a consultative, unified reform roadmap.

We must ensure that all reforms, including those from Operation Vulindlela, are integrated into the White Paper Review outcomes.

Compatriots,
I am pleased to note that, based on the discussions held during the first day of the Assembly, everyone concurs that Municipalities should function as catalysts for local economic development.

The NMA’s masterclasses and panels in this regard brought to light the value of innovation, partnerships, and digital solutions.

We must continue to invest in township economies, foster partnerships with the private sector, empower local SMMEs, and expand renewable energy projects.

The SALGA Product Catalogue and digital transformation initiatives showcased at this Assembly are examples of the practical solutions we need to drive economic resilience.

If we are to effectively drive economic resilience, we should support local economic development through skills development, policy enhancement, disaster risk management, and infrastructure modernisation. Key actions include implementing reskilling initiatives, crafting industry transition policies, fostering public-private partnerships, investing in early warning systems, and updating infrastructure to address challenges like climate change.

Furthermore, to promote effective governance and financial resilience, SALGA should prioritise strengthening fiscal management and intergovernmental relations, building municipal capacity and accountability, and instituting reforms aimed at ensuring financial sustainability and preventing corruption.

It has been proven time and again that good governance, financial sustainability, and ethical leadership are the bedrock of effective Local Government.

The Auditor-General’s insights and SALGA’s record of clean audits remind us of the importance of compliance, transparency and accountability.

Nevertheless, we must also confront the challenges of unfunded budgets, poor revenue management, and the need for stronger consequence management.

If Local Government is indeed where the rubber hits the tar, then we must advocate for a more equitable fiscal dispensation.

I agree with those who argue that Local Government must receive a fairer share of national revenue.

We must also reallocate resources, strengthen oversight, and build capacity.

We must ensure that municipalities are empowered to fulfil their mandates and meet the expectations of our communities.

Programme Director,
One of the critical challenges faced by Local Government is how we respond and manage disasters. Climate change intensifies natural disasters by increasing their frequency, severity, and impact, leading to more extreme weather events like heatwaves, floods, and powerful storms.

A few days ago, we received reports of devastating floods that took place at New Hanover under UMshwathi Local Municipality here in KZN. According to the reports we received, one body has been recovered, it is believed that they may be others who are still missing. About 100 people were displaced, most of whom live near a floodline in an informal settlement.

We therefore call upon communities to refrain from building informal settlements along flood lines, rivers and streams.

In this regard, strengthening municipal spatial arrangements is crucial to avoid disasters by ensuring land is used safely and sustainably through measures like zoning, infrastructure planning, and addressing socio-environmental inequalities.

We also call upon our Municipalities to be Disaster Resilient. This calls for the development of modern disaster risk reduction strategies, recognising that local governments are on the front lines of climate-related disasters and other shocks.

This requires a shift from reactive disaster management to proactive risk reduction.

That is why we have included the issue of Strengthening Disaster Resilience and Response as part of the overarching priorities of the G20.

As part of the final Declaration of the G20 Summit, the G20 Ministers under the Presidency of the Republic of South Africa have reaffirmed their shared commitment to disaster risk reduction.

We therefore call on this Assembly to take this work and commitments of the G20 forward, and ensure that we protect our communities against disasters and we develop strategies that will enable to achieve sustainable development, resilience, economic stability, and prosperity.

We must align our efforts, adopt best practices, leverage partnerships, and embrace new technologies for improved service delivery.

Let us also learn from the successes and failures of the past. Let us build resilient, inclusive communities. We must equip every municipality to provide sustainable services and stimulate economic growth.

Finally, let us integrate Clean Cities indicators into municipal performance systems. Integrating the Clean Cities Campaign into municipal performance management systems can align local government actions with national environmental goals and enhance accountability for waste management and sanitation services. We must establish unambiguous, quantifiable, and uniform Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that mirror the campaign's objectives and are applicable uniformly across diverse municipalities.

Let us partner with corporate entities and community organisations for urban renewal and make cleanliness and public order a shared responsibility in the same way that SALGA has partnered with the Presidency on the Clean Cities and Towns Campaign that we launched in June in Kliptown, in the City of Johannesburg.

Ladies and Gentlemen,
As we are on the verge of the end of this term of Local Government and prepare to usher in a new dispensation, it is critical that we renew our commitment to governance integrity, service excellence and intergovernmental cooperation.

The urgency of reform is clear. We must align the White Paper Review and Operation Vulindlela for coherent, consultative change.  As I said earlier, this is the time to empower municipalities to drive growth through innovation, partnerships and digital transformation.

We must adopt best practices and sectoral reforms for sustainable, inclusive communities. We must link environmental stewardship with economic empowerment as well as advance gender equity and activism for safe, empowered communities.

I wish to express my gratitude to all of you for your unwavering commitment to advancing the cause of local government and serving our communities with passion and dedication.

Let us re-dedicate ourselves to the ideals of good governance, transparency, and accountability that are the foundation of effective local government. Let us continue to work together in the spirit of unity and solidarity to build a better future for all South Africans.

Together, let us renew our commitment to excellence, unity, and the future of South African Local Government.

I wish you all the best for the remainder of your programme today.

Ha khensa! Inkomu! I thank you!

#GovZAUpdates