Municipalities wary of government meddling

28 June 2016 - 09:01 By OLEBOGENG MOLATLHWA

The chairman of the South African Local Government Association has suggested that any intervention by national government in the affairs of municipalities should be free of dishonesty and ulterior motives.Thabo Manyoni told The Times that while he welcomed government's assistance, especially in poor performing municipalities, its intervention must be "transparent".Manyoni is also Mangaung Metro executive mayor in the Free State.His call for transparency comes after Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Des van Rooyen's announcement that his department would be taking on a more active role in appointing senior managers at municipal level, including municipal managers as well as chief financial officers.These appointments are a subject of negotiations between the association and the department.The association wants the chief financial officers without qualifications but extensive experience to remain while the department is calling for financial officers without the required experience to be axed.Manyoni said he welcomed the department's involvement in local government but "we are still interdependent and if the minister spoke about the department taking an active role in the appointment of municipal managers and CFOs, I would want to believe that it is all in the spirit of good governance".Van Rooyen had said: "The Salga proposal that municipalities be allowed more freedom is the reason why in the past [they] didn't appoint suitably qualified and competent senior managers in the absence of these regulations."Local government administrators have long said municipalities should be free of constraints imposed by the department and receive their budgets directly from the Treasury...

There’s never been a more important time to support independent media.

From World War 1 to present-day cosmopolitan South Africa and beyond, the Sunday Times has been a pillar in covering the stories that matter to you.

For just R80 you can become a premium member (digital access) and support a publication that has played an important political and social role in South Africa for over a century of Sundays. You can cancel anytime.

Already subscribed? Sign in below.



Questions or problems? Email helpdesk@timeslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00.