Minister of Cooperative Governance And Traditional Affairs Budget Speech. responses by FF+ & DA

2023/24 Budget Vote Speech By Minister Thembi Nkadimeng At The Parliament Good Hope Chamber

Honourable Chairperson,

Honourable Members of the Portfolio Committee,

Members of the Provincial Executive Committees,

Fellow Cabinet Members,

Chairperson of the National House of Traditional and Khoi-San Leaders,

Chairperson of the Municipal Demarcation Board and its Members,

President of SALGA,

Organised Labour, SAMWU and IMATU

Director-Generals of DCOG and DTA including the Administrative Staff,

Acting CEO of MISA,

Members of the Fourth Estate,
Distinguished Guests, and

Ladies and Gentlemen:

INTRODUCTION

I am sincerely honoured to table budget votes 3 and 15 for the Departments of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA). Joining me in tabling these budget votes are Deputy Ministers Prince Zolile Burns-Ncamashe and Parks Tau.

This budget vote is tabled a day after we commemorated, yesterday, Africa Day and a few days before we begin celebrating Youth Month. 

Allow me to say, happy belated Africa Day and happy Youth Month!

We also take this opportunity to recognise and commend our former colleagues, Minister Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma and Deputy Minister Obed Bapela for ably steering the CoGTA ship since May 2019. Most importantly, we honour the role played by Dr Dlamini-Zuma, working with the President of the Republic, during our dedicated struggle against the Covid-19 global health and economic pandemic.

The gazetted National State of Disasters demonstrated what is possible when the country acts in unison against a common enemy and what can be achieved with cross-sectoral leadership in both the public and private sectors. 

This explains why the World Health Organisation (WHO) congratulated South Africa’s Covid-19 response as, inarguably, amongst the best in the world. This simply means we demonstrated our capabilities to save lives and livelihoods. If we can save lives, there is no reason why municipalities should, equally, not be the epicentres for growth, innovation, inclusivity and cohesion.

Therefore, our present mandate seeks to build and accelerate implementation as  national CoGTA the developmental and transformative role of local government as envisioned in Section 152 of the Constitution, namely to:

• Provide democratic and accountable government for local communities,
• Ensure provision of services to communities in a sustainable way, 
• Promote social and economic development,
• Promote a safe and healthy environment, and
• Encourage involvement of communities and community organisations in

local development.

Given our inherited historical legacy and structural challenges in the democratic era, this is a non-negotiable Constitutional mandate we are committed to fulfil and implement. 

Honourable Chairperson,

CONTEXT

As we table the CoGTA budget votes for debate, detail our departments’ performance outcomes and indicate our spending priorities, we do so under an especially challenging macro-context.

As CoGTA we readily acknowledge the existential challenges which includes, uppermost, the sluggish economic growth, energy crisis, inflation pressures, water insecurity, net effects of the European War, and a depressed fiscal state of municipalities.

This is reason the decision taken by National Treasury is welcomed, as announced recently in their 2023 budget vote that, Treasury undertakes a “conditional write-off of the debt owed to Eskom by municipalities (as an) urgent step taken to stabilise the energy sector”.     

On a more negative and sobering note, the developments in Hammanskraal are a dark mark for our democratic dispensation. As CoGTA, we respectfully express our condolences to those families who have lost, needlessly so, their loved ones to the cholera outbreak.

The systematic response of CoGTA to episodes like those in Hammanskraal, to be detailed later in this budget vote speech, includes putting in place the Water Resilience Action Plan which will form the foundation of our Bulk Water Supply and Waste Water Treatment plant infrastructure rehabilitation and energy efficiency interventions within the water reticulation and sewer systems.  

Honourable Chairperson,

CoGTA is committed to ensuring that local government is everyone’s business! Allow me to detail the Departmental interventions already made and being made to accelerate implementation, plus measure impact, on a continuity of programmes. 

DISTRICT DEVELOPMENT MODEL

Fortunately, the flagship programme of the 6th CoGTA Administration, the District Development Model (DDM), is making recognisable progress in being institutionalised across the three (3) spheres of government. It cannot be emphasised enough how the DDM, anchored in the Intergovernmental Relations Framework Act, is critical for policy implementation coherence and impact maximisation.  

Through the One Plans and One Budgets, we initiated a quality assurance process aimed at assessing the quality of all submitted One Plans. The outcomes of the Quality Assurance process are meant to inform the review and updating of the One Plans across all-district and metro spaces.

Key findings that emerged from the quality assurance process highlighted a need to strengthen the shift towards collaborative, joint-planning and strengthening the involvement of sector Departments, State-Owned Entities (SOEs) and private sector participation.

As CoGTA, we are pleased to see an improved coordination and cooperation between the Offices of the Premier (OoPs) and provincial CoGTAs in the coordination of the institutionalisation and implementation of the DDM.

At the same time, in institutionalising the DDM, we recognise the importance of sincerely engaging and working collaboratively with the Institution of Traditional and Khoi-San Leadership. This is encouraging since it is meant to deal with the less-than-optimal relationship between traditional leaders and municipal councillors.

Hence at the September 2022 Local Government Summit, it was resolved that, SALGA and the National House of Traditional and Khoi-San Leaders, should enter into an immediately implementable Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to, among others, improve working relations between traditional leadership and municipal councillors. This is an important intervention through which Magoshi and our councillors can pull together their respective strengths and provide the much-needed collective leadership to steer development in local communities.

In all our engagements with the institution of traditional leadership, the issue of socio-economic development in rural communities has continued to take center stage. In this regard, Magoshi have emphasised that there are investible opportunities in their communities which should be leveraged in line with the Invest Rural Strategy to improve the living conditions of people in those areas. During this financial year, we will be giving specific attention to development opportunities linked to mining activities in traditional communities.

We will work close with the institution of traditional leadership, municipalities and the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy to ensure that there is optimum benefit in terms of enterprise development, skills development, procurement, socio-economic development ownership, just to mention a few, as encapsulated in the Social Labour Plans. This is just the beginning because we intend to expand going forward to reach out to all other mining houses operating in traditional communities.

The matter of tools of trade are essential for traditional leaders to perform their functions in an effective and efficient manner. CoGTA is committing to working and engaging with municipalities in ensuring that traditional leaders who serve in municipal councils are provided with tools of trade and other necessary benefits during their term of office, same as what is provided to councillors serving in the same councils.

We will be addressing this matter and we believe that this will also contribute towards harmonising relations between traditional leaders and municipal councillors first and foremost, but also to begin a journey of ensuring that traditional leaders serving in these councils participate meaningfully.

Deputy Minister Burns-Ncamashe will detail the other practical interventions we are making to support decisively the institution of Traditional and Khoi-San Leadership.

Honourable Chairperson,

NATIONAL INTERVENTIONS

Whilst tangible progress has been made to fulfil our Constitutional obligation to provide developmental and transformation local governance and visible service delivery, we admit there are challenges in ensuring that our people’s growing expectations are met and realised.

These structural challenges, which require national interventions, are rooted in weak institutional capacity, poor governance, poor financial management, corruption, and political instability. This accounts for why a total of 66 municipalities, in 2022, were identified as dysfunctional with challenges across the key performance areas of administration, governance, financial administration, service delivery and Local Economic Development (LED). 

As the President of the governing party, Honourable Cyril Ramaphosa, said this year at an ANC January Lekgotla, indeed “the collapse of some municipalities and poor service delivery are related to what has been termed the ‘political-administrative’ interface. This means that many of the issues at municipal level can be laid at the door of elected representatives and we must be proactive and resolute in addressing these issues”.

Nevertheless, we can confidently provide this progress-to-date update. There Department continues to monitor the implementation of national interventions in terms of Section 139 (7) of the Constitution, namely, in Lekwa Local Municipality (MP), Mangaung Metro (FS) and Enoch Mgijima Local Municipality (EMLM) in the Eastern Cape.

In fact, the Mangaung Metro is the first municipality where a coordinated support by national government was implemented. The Departments of Human Settlements, CoGTA, Transport, the Municipal Infrastructure Support Agent (MISA) and National Treasury seconded senior officials to occupy management positions to stabilise the Metro.

Specifically, since the CoGTA / MISA interventions at the Enoch Mgijima Municipality, there have been identifiable improvement in this Municipality in areas of reducing infrastructure backlogs; implementation of integrated infrastructure plans through DDM; and improving performance monitoring strategy.

Equally so, the Lekwa Local Municipality was the first municipality where the national government had to intervene in terms of Section 139(7) of the Constitution. Over the past 24 months, the intervention created the foundation on which the Council will be able to re-build a stable, functional, and sustainable municipality. The municipal Council will be key in providing the leadership and guidance required in this process.

Through MISA, we also continue to support 14 municipalities with the alignment of the Social Labour Plans (SLPs) and their IDPs to improve the implementation and financing of municipal infrastructure programs. These 14 municipalities are: Elias Motsoaledi, Lephalale, Mogale City, Merafong Randwest City, Rustenburg, Moses Kotane, Madibeng, Matlosana, Emalahleni, Steve Tshwete, Matjhabeng, Ga-Segonyana and Gamagara.

The alignment has ensured that the SLP approved projects are prioritised in the municipalities’ IDPs. MISA has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Wits University to roll out a SLP training program to municipal officials. We urge other public and private institutions to come on board and work with us because service delivery, especially at local municipalities, is everyone’s business and it is in everyone’s interests to make local government their business.  

Ladies and Gentlemen,

You will be pleased to know that, in accordance with the DDM mandate, CoGTA aims to stabilise at least 20 dysfunctional municipalities by the end of this financial year. This we will achieve reliant on Section 154(1) of the Constitution which calls on the “national and provincial spheres to support and strengthen the capacity of municipalities to manage their own affairs, to exercise their powers and perform their functions”.

As I mentioned earlier, national interventions are necessary to address political instability which is partly due to, in some Metros, governance by coalition governments. As you would agree, these coalition governments are characterised by:

• Instability that have a severe impact as it compromises the municipality’s ability to adopt policies and by-laws, make senior management appointments, or even adopt a budget;
• Coalition instability ultimately compromises the municipal administration’s ability to deliver services to local communities;
• Coalitions put strain on the planning of the administration because it is difficult to predict whether items would pass in the council; and
• Local communities continue to bear the brunt of unstable coalition politics.

As CoGTA, what has been our strategic response to these stated challenges?

• There is a need for a framework that can guide political parties and independent councillors on the formation and sustainability of coalitions.
• SALGA developed a guiding Framework for tabling to political parties. The Guidelines dealt with two crucial stages of coalition governments:-

1. coalition formation stage – what happens after a coalition is declared hung?
2. coalition governance stage – what is needed to promote stability during the life-cycle of the coalition?

The National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC) has completed a review of the National Disaster Management Framework and it is expected that the updated framework will be published for public comment and gazetted in this current financial year. The NDMC has also made significant progress with the review of the Disaster Management System that entails a scholarly gap analysis of the current system and benchmarking against international practices.

The NDMC has, during the flood disasters which occurred in at least four (4) provinces (KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, North West and Eastern Cape provinces) during April 2022, developed and implemented a coordination system and network to coordinate and manage the response to the disaster. This system comprised of various workstreams that furthered relief and rehabilitation efforts both vertically and horizontally.

The NDMC allocated R516.7 million from the Disaster Response Grants for disaster intervention measures within the affected municipalities in KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape provinces. 

The NDMC in collaboration with MISA, the Provincial Disaster Management Centres (PDMC’s) and other relevant role-players, will be continuing to support and monitor implementation of disaster interventions through allocated funding to promote the realisation of desired impacts from the allocated funding.

Additional disaster grant funding will be allocated in support of the qualifying affected organs of state that are unable to deal with the effects of the disasters using their own resources to address the impacts of the floods of 2023.

Honourable Chairperson,

RESULTS-BASED PLANNING

Given what is stated above, in pursuit of improving and enhancing the delivery of quality and sustainable municipal basic services, the Department adopted a Results-based Planning approach towards the key programmes that will result in meaningful impact. To that effect, a Results-Based Management Office (RMO) is being established (operating like a WarRoom).

Of course, the WarRoom approach is not new to local government. Rather, it is being implemented not only to measure the acceleration of our programmes but gauge how impactful this is done whilst also closing the loopholes as illustrated in what the DDM concept note expects us to do. Therefore, the RMO is a strategic form of professional support through which municipalities will be capacitated to deliver infrastructure and strategic projects in order to drive the necessary enhancements required to improve service delivery.

A primary purpose of establishing a fully functional RMO is to ensure that all the infrastructure and/or strategic programmes produce the intended outcomes. This will be achieved through supporting delivery of projects as well as reporting and monitoring the realisation of the intended benefits during project execution and post the implementation of projects.

The RMO will be resourced through the recruitment and placement of highly qualified, skilled and experienced local government experts and specialist who will be working with municipalities, provincial governments, national sector departments and State-owned entities to bring about the much-needed basic services to communities in all the 9 provinces.

Honourable Chairperson,

DEPARTMENTAL BUDGET ALLOCATIONS

In respect of Vote 3, the Department’s approved budget allocation for the 2023/24 financial year amounts to R121,7 billion. This total allocation is expected to increase at an average annual rate of 5.9 per cent, from R121.7 billion in 2023/24 to R136.5 billion in 2025/26, which will bring the total allocation for the department over the Medium-Term Expenditure (MTEF) period to R387, 7 billion.

The largest portion of this budget is allocated for transfers to municipalities at an estimated R364.7 billion (95.per cent of the total allocation) over the MTEF period. These grants include the local government equitable share (LGES) and the municipal infrastructure grant (MIG), realising an average growth of 7,8 per cent and 4,4 per cent, respectively, over the MTEF period.

The local government equitable share comprises an estimated 81.8 per cent (R309.79 billion) of the department’s spending over the medium term. In this amount is an additional R8.1 billion to compensate municipalities for the increased cost of bulk electricity and water, as well as the MIG allocation being R55 billion over the MTEF period.

In respect of Vote 15, the appropriated budget for 2023/24 amounts to R193,1 million. This allocation is expected to increase to R201,2 million in 2024/25 and R209,7 million in the outer year of 2025/26. Out of this allocation, 25% is a transfer payment to the CRL Rights Commission, which translates to R49,1 million in 2023/24, R49,1 million in 2024/25 and R51,3 million in 2025/26.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

REMUNERATION MATTERS

On the salient matter of the Independent Commission on the Remuneration of Public Office Bearers, it has published its recommendations on 21 April 2023 recommending a 3.8% increase for all public office-bearers. Thus far, I am in the process of consulting with SALGA and MECs responsible for local government with the view to finalising the upper limits for councillors for the 2021/2023 financial year. We have also requested an audience with the Commission to review the system of remuneration for councillors and traditional leaders.

On a similar matter, I will be publishing revisions to the upper limits for the remuneration of senior managers for the 2022 2023 financial year. My office has also been receiving requests for the waiver of remuneration for senior managers in municipalities due to the limitations of the present remuneration framework and where the remuneration of third-level managers encroaches on and even surpasses the remuneration paid to the senior managers.

The Department, in collaboration with National Treasury, DPSA, SALGA and Provinces, is in the final stages of developing a framework and introduce a revised remuneration system that will do away with this “salary creep” and the need for waivers.

Honourable Chairperson,

LEGISLATIVE REVIEWS

We have initiated a process to review legislation that impacts on local government with the view to entrenching good practices and to address the challenges that have been experienced.

Intergovernmental Monitoring, Support and Intervention Bill (IMSI): We have developed the IMSI Bill in compliance with the requirements of Section 100(3) and 139(8) of the Constitution. The aim of this Bill is to strengthen the processes and procedures of intervening by the national and provincial governments in provinces and municipalities, respectively.

The Bill will provide unambiguous, clear processes and procedures on how to deal uniformly with the invocation of Sections 100 and 139 of the Constitution. The Bill will also provide legal rights and legalities for all parties concerned, including benefiting the communities in that, when the provincial administration or the municipalities are not fulfilling their executive obligations, then the envisaged legislation will assist by returning these organs of state to normalcy and restoring stability in municipalities across the country.

Inter-Governmental Relations Framework Act (IGR) Review: We will be publishing Regulations in terms of Section 47 of the Intergovernmental Relations Framework Act for public comments. The introduction of these Regulations will be a significant milestone as it will enable all three (3) spheres of government to strengthen their relations through the lens of the DDM. 

The regulations will confirm that the DDM is institutionalised within the existing IGR framework as defined in the Act but also makes provision for the establishment of DDM technical structures at national, provincial and district levels.

Specific DDM and One Plan coordination roles and responsibilities are furthermore defined and expanded on in the regulations for national, provincial and district governments and departments. Currently regulations to effect improved inter-governmental collaboration are processed and it is envisaged that these will be gazetted during 2023 for public comment.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Deputy Minister Tau will elaborate on some of the matters raised above that, indeed, CoGTA is demonstrating in deed and actions that local government is everybody’s business.

Honourable Chairperson,

Evidence-based decision making is central to policymaking and implementation. It is this approach that resulted in government adopting an outcome-based approach and the District Development Model.

As society, we need to do more. We must listen to the voices of our communities. We must respond to the urgent and existential challenges that occupy our citizens and communities. Fortunately, we have within our power the means to accelerate implementation and provide lasting solutions that are impactful and positively change lives.

Why do I preface my remarks in this manner? Please allow me to reference the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) in its recent research for the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC).

The HSRC found that, on average, the growing critical views of democracy, its institutions and accountability measures, may erode voter turnout at next year’s elections. In fact, “Hope and trust in democracy, its institutions and processes has declined substantially, especially since 2009, reaching an all-time low in 2021, the research revealed”.

In conclusion, you would agree that this HSRC finding alone, demonstrates the need to move towards a result-based planning framework that is developmental and guarantees the change we want to see by 2030.

I thank you.

 

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2023/24 Budget Vote Speech By Deputy Minister Parks Tau, At The Parliament Good Hope Chamber

Honourable Members,

Allow me to rise on the protocol that has been observed by the Minister. 

MUNICIPAL SUPPORT PROGRAMMES

Our mission is clearly defined in supporting integrated planning and accelerated implementation across all three spheres of government.

It should be stated upfront that in terms of the Community Works Programme (CWP), there are green shoots since, under Vote 3, R4.2 billion is allocated for the CWP programme.

1. Municipal Infrastructure Grant (MIG)

The Municipal Infrastructure Grant provides capital finance to 217 municipalities to implement infrastructure-related projects to ensure basic service delivery to poor households in the areas of water, sanitation, roads and community facilities.

An amount of R17,6 billion or R55,0 billion over the 2023 MTEF has been allocated to municipalities in the 2023/24 financial year.

The momentum that must be built in this area has to be supported through the development of asset management planning and practices within municipalities. 

Comparing the 2020/21 and 2021/22 MIG allocations, perennial non-performance of the MIG has reduced from 39 to 36 municipalities. We envisage that this will be further reduced with the support coordinated through the DDM, especially the technical support provided by MISA, where required.

Underperforming municipalities will be supported to utilise the 5% set aside for the enhancement of project management capabilities, which will assist with scoping, expenditure tracking and quality management. We also take this opportunity to commend the 116 municipalities who have spent above 90% of their cumulative allocations, over the past four years!

In order to guard against MIG allocations being unspent by municipalities and returned to the national fiscus, CoGTA will intervene in municipalities where there is under-expenditure by applying provisions of the Division of Revenue Act that allows the department to retain a portion of the MIG allocation and create an indirect grant (Schedule 6B).

Understandably, this will empower CoGTA to directly intervene by implementing the MIG projects that municipalities fail to implement and avoid the grants being stopped and re-allocated to other municipalities. Furthermore, this will ensure that the deserving communities of the municipalities do not lose the benefit of the services emanating from the MIG projects as a result of municipalities not having the capability to spend the MIG.

2 Integrated Urban Development Grant (IUDG)

The purpose of the Integrated Urban Development Grant (IUDG) is, firstly, to provide funding for public investment in infrastructure for the poor and, secondly, to promote increased access to municipal own sources of capital finance in order to increase funding for public investment in economic infrastructure.

Municipalities receiving the IUDG must meet the set qualification criteria and currently there are 8 municipalities on the programme, namely, Polokwane, Sol Plaatje, Steve Tshwete, Mogale City, Ray Nkonyeni, Umhlathuze, Stellenbosch and Drakenstein, with George addition from the 2023/24 financial year.

3 Municipal Systems Improvement Grant (MSIG)

The MSIG is a Schedule 6 grant spent and accounted for directly by CoGTA for the benefit of municipalities. Its purpose is to assist municipalities to perform their functions and stabilise institutional and governance systems.

A total of 9 projects are currently been implemented by CoGTA as interventions to address a range of governance and institutional issues in identified municipalities and through the use of the MSIG.

Honourable Chairperson,

PARTNERSHIPS / INTERNATIONAL COMMITMENTS

Our country has recently seen a number of disasters and this has highlighted the urgent need for a comprehensive disaster management plan. It is imperative we invest in disaster risk management capabilities, prioritise the rehabilitation and recovery of affected communities, work towards a more sustainable future, strengthen our partnerships, and ensure accountability and transparency in our response to disasters.

By doing this, we will ensure that South Africa is better prepared for future crises. Partnerships and targeted social compacting is prioritised by CoGTA in its partnership with the University of Johannesburg’s (UJ) Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment which is working on implementing the Internet of Things (IoT) with postgraduate candidates to address the water-energy-food nexus challenges.

The MTSF gave us the task to develop a Smart City Framework for Local Government. We will be implemented a DDM Smart City approach with UJ and Sentech and water boards such as Umgeni Water and Rand Water in supporting smart villages and cities.

The other systematic interventions we are putting in place involve The Municipal Demand Management Programme (MDMP) and the Municipal Revenue Management Programme (MRMP) which seek to address the following, amongst others:

• reduce intensity of the Load Shedding within the municipal demarcated area of supply;
• reduction of the municipality’s peak costs as less power will be procured on ESKOM elevated peak tariff like Megaflex tariff amongst others;
• introduction of smart metering (electricity/water/etc.) technologies to accelerate the loadshedding mitigations measures through load limiting

This programme will also accelerate the adoption of the following interventions:

• Municipalities adopting a Roof Top Solar and battery storage with government assistance.
• Municipalities adopting Small Scale Embedded Generation initiatives for business situated within the municipal boundaries.
• Municipalities to roll out Solar Hot water heating systems in most low-cost housing within their supply areas

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Quite clearly, CoGTA is endeavouring in practical fashion to ensure we make local government everyone’s business!

The Department has also facilitated the allocation of R3.3 billion during the budget adjustment period to the affected municipalities in the KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape and Western Cape Provinces towards the reconstruction and rehabilitation of disaster damages in the provinces.

We remain committed to ensuring effective Spatial Urban Development Planning in our country. We do this as we navigate the complexities of urbanization and strive for sustainable, inclusive, and vibrant cities. It is our firm view that Spatial Urban Development Planning is a powerful tool that allows us to shape our urban landscapes, address the unique needs and challenges of our rapidly-evolving society.

It is for this reason that we continue to implement the Integrated Urban Development Framework (IUDF) as government’s policy position to guide the future growth and management of urban and rural areas and to support and guide SA cities, intermediate cities and small towns to achieve spatial transformation while protecting the environment.   

CoGTA has entered into a targetted public-private partnership with the World Resource Institute (WRI). This three-year partnership is aimed at strengthening cooperation in the effective implementation of the IUDF.

Moreover, in 2021, the WRI, through the Urban Water Resilience Initiative (UWR), partnered with African cities, the City of Johannesburg (CoJ) and Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality (NMBM), with the aim to build water resilience.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The Department has also developed the Small-Town Regeneration strategy (STR) which is aimed at the regeneration, restoration, and fulfilling the economic potential of underperforming small towns. The STR will be piloted in this financial year in the following small towns:

1. Piketberg situated in the Bergrivier Local Municipality (Western Cape)
2. Senekal situated in the Setsoto Local Municipality (Free State)
3. Modimolle situated in the Modimolle-Mookgophong Local Municipality (Limpopo)

In conclusion, we will implement the District Development Model in order to transform persistent apartheid spatial patterns that continue to reproduce poverty and inequality. 

We will advance the principles of The White Paper to “work with citizens and groups within the community to find sustainable ways to meet their social, economic and material needs” targeting, in particular women, the disabled, and the youth.

Realisation of the socio-economic rights is paramount not only in addressing the legacy of apartheid but in encouraging community participation by making sure Municipal Councillors empower communities through delegation of some of their authority and function to the Ward Committees.

By allowing communities to be self-governing, active citizenry becomes a part of the overall governance system.

It is our firm belief that aligning our efforts and resources through the DDM and the Results-based Management Office, we will be able to streamline service delivery and improve the lives of our people we serve.

I thank you.

 

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Speech By Honourable Deputy Minister Of Cooperative Governance And Traditional Affairs, Prince: Zolile Burns-Ncamashe On The Occasion Of The Department Budget Vote

House Chairperson

Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Honorable Fikile Xasa, Mqwathi!

Honorable Members of the Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs

Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Thembisile Nkadimeng, Mpembe!

Deputy Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Parks Tau, Kwena!

Your Majesties and Royal Highnesses

Fellow Traditional Leaders

Chairperson of the National House of Traditional and Khoi-San Leaders, Kgosi Thabo Seatlholo, Rapulana!

Deputy Chairperson of the National House of Traditional and Khoi-San Leaders, Nkosi Langa Mavuso. Ah! Zwelidumile, Bhele!

Members of the Executive of the National House of Traditional and Khoisan leaders

President of CONTRALESA, Kgoshi Mathupa Mokoena,

Deputy President, Kgosi Nyalala Pilane,

Mr Cecil Le Fleur Chairperson of the National KhoiSan Council

Leadership of the National KhoiSan Council

Ministers and Deputy Ministers

Honored Guests

Members of the Media

HOUSE CHAIRPERSON

It is my honour and privilege to support the Minister to present the Department of Traditional Affairs’ budget Vote, almost two months after joining the Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) family.

In his inaugural State of the Nation Address speech, in May 1994, President Nelson Mandela stated that, I Quote “Tomorrow, on Africa Day, our new flag will be hoisted in an historic ceremony at the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), Headquarters in Addis Ababa, with the OAU having already agreed to accept us as its latest member. Yet tomorrow again, on Africa Day, the UN Security Council will meet to lift the last remaining sanctions against South Africa and to position the world Organisation to relate to our country as an honoured, responsible, and peace-loving citizen.” Unquote. The OAU in 2002 became the African Union (AU), in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal.

These words remind us of the worthy commitment that we as a people made 29 years ago at the birth of our country democracy, a commitment to usher in a country which all its people embodied the notion of a rainbow nation. Yesterday we celebrated the Africa Day, under the theme ‘Promoting and appreciating knowledge in and from Africa’.

Let me share some moments worth reminiscing about the month of May it was in 1996, that our country adopted the Constitution, it was in 1997 that the National Anthem was adopted. It is this constitution that postulates the mandate of the Department of Traditional Affairs, to oversee matters related to the institution, Section 211 affirms the recognition whilst Section 212 provides guidelines about the roles of Traditional Leaders. The White Paper on Traditional Leadership and Governance sets out a national framework, and the norms and standards that define the role of the institutions of traditional leadership in the country. The objects based on the support and the transformation of the institutions in accordance with constitutional imperatives and restore the integrity and legitimacy of traditional leadership in line with the African indigenous values and customs aligned to the Constitution.

HONORABLE MEMBERS

To achieve our central goals, we have undertaken a process of consultation with the Kings, Senior Traditional Leaders, and The Institution in broad to appraise the institution on the work that the department is undertaking in the transformation of the institution. I am pleased to indicate that consultations on the process of establishing the King’s/ Queen’s Forum is underway and we should be able to launch this structure during the Heritage Month.

The Forum is intended be a voice for Kings and Queens. Just on 22 May 2023, the Ministry received a letter from the Interim Chairperson of the King’s/ Queen’s Forum, King Ndamase Ndamase, Ah Ndlovuyeswe!, requesting the Minister’s assistance to facilitate the convening of the Forum.

His Excellency President Ramaphosa, made a call during the opening of the National House early this year for the formation of the Kings Forum as a consultative structure to strengthen the functioning of institution, I quote the words of the President, “We see the Kings Forum as an important platform to tap into the collective wisdom of our Majesties. The Forum will help us to address disputes around traditional leadership, gender-based violence and other social ills, initiation challenges and others. The Forum will help us to document the history of our nation and the role of traditional leaders in our struggle and development as a nation.” Close-quote.

FELLOW TRADITIONAL LEADERS

On Initiation:

Government is committed to ensuring that the practice of cultural initiation, remains an important customary right to passage that we pride ourselves as an institution.

The Customary Initiation Act, as signed into law by President Ramaphosa in 2021 , makes provision for the formation of the National Initiation Oversight Committee (NIOC) and the Provincial Initiation Coordinating Committee (PICC).  

Honourable Members, as a caring government, unlike what was experienced here by our people in the Kannaland Municipality in Western Cape Province

who were exercising their right to practice their culture of initiation as a rite of passage and were denied to do so and had to invoke the court system to guarantee that right . The ANC led Government will not be doing the same. The National Initiation Oversight Committee (NIOC), which was appointed by the Minister of CoGTA, is here today in Cape Town and is meeting with the Western Cape Provincial Initiation Coordinating Committee to impress upon the Western Cape PICC to be ready for the winter initiation season, amongst others, to avoid the recurrence of the unfortunate and inhuman Kannaland experience.

Honourable Members, the NIOC has a five-year Strategic Plan, which its main intent is to oversee the implementation of the CIA. The main purpose of the Customary Initiation Act is to protect lives and prevent all forms of abuse that initiates may be subjected to as a result of  unacceptable initiation practices. The Act also regulate initiation by providing for acceptable norms and standards.

Our work will continue to strengthen the regulatory environment and promote safe initiation practices.  We will soon be developing the Customary Initiation Regulations, to address the challenge of commercialization of the customary initiation practice, which contributes to illegal initiation schools. As government we will advocate for the maximum sentence as proposed in the legislation that those that operate and profit from illegal school, as well as kidnaping of young boys, would be made a demonstratable example when they languish in jail. This is a promise Honorable Members the rule of law would be fully enforced without fear or favour.

ON LAND REFORM

The Communal Land Administration and Tenure Summit was held on 27 and 28 May 2022, the outcomes of the Summit are being processed through the Inter Ministerial Task Team (IMTT) that include working on policy alignment by the department of Agriculture Land Reform and Rural Development for Cabinet processing.

It is worth reminding this House, that the first law to be passed by the first democratically elected parliament was the Restitution of Land Rights Act of 1994. This was done with the conscious acknowledgement that land justice is important to deal with the challenges of poverty, unemployment, and inequality. Madiba understood the importance of ensuring that land be returned to the dispossessed masses of our people.

He understood that land redistribution, restitution and security of tenure are important elements of the ‘covenant to build a society in which all South Africans, black and white, will be able to walk tall, assured of their inalienable right to human dignity’. The governing party in its 54th conference took a resolution to work with speed on all matters of land expropriation without compensation, in acknowledgement of land reform challenges including the slow pace and high land prices that have distorted the land market impeding speedy redress of land imbalances.

In his first State of the Nation Address, President Cyril Ramaphosa committed government to, Quote “Accelerate the land redistribution programme not only to address a grave historical injustice, but also to bring more producers into the agricultural sector”. Unquote. In this context he committed the government to “pursue a comprehensive strategy that makes effective use of all the mechanisms at our disposal” and that this strategy will include consideration of expropriation without compensation in line with the legislative provision.

Honourable Members, both the Communal Land Tenure Policy and Bill have been drafted and shall be processed through government structures and Cabinet for public comments in this 2023/24 Financial Year. That’s the ANC Government for you, we are finally getting closer to guaranteeing our people a security of tenure that is suitable for us as Africans.

On the Spatial Planning, the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development is in a process of identifying areas of amendment to Spatial Land Use and Management Act (SPLUMA). One of the areas under review is the role of the Institution of Traditional Leaders in Land Development Processes. The Institution is being engaged through identified structures to provide input on proposals to address identified challenges. The Department has met with National House of Traditional and Khoi-San Leaders ( NHTKL ) in February 2023 to discuss how to work together on the amendment of SPLUMA.

Provincial meetings are being held with the Provincial Houses , meetings were held in EC, NW, FS and NC to discuss draft amendments. Through this Process, honourable members, Traditional Leaders are definitely going to participate actively in the land planning and administration processes, they wont be excluded and their views will be part of the land planning and administration decisions for socio economic development and governance in Districts and metros with traditional leadership. With this process, their communities are guaranteed sustainable livelihoods, expanding grazing, residential, industrial and other amenities. This is the ANC government.

With regards to the expropriation bill, Traditional Leaders of Limpopo participated in the public hearings in Capricon, Waterberg, Sekhukhune, Mopani ad Vhembe from the 16th to the 23rd of May 2023.

This is yet another demonstration of the ANC led Government that we intend to return the land to its rightful owners. We will soon be having Expropriation of Land as an Act of Parliament.

A very clear submission by the National House was that expropriation will exclude the current communal land and instead, it will expand communal land to decongest areas of Amakhosi. Siyaqhuba, Siyasebenza. It is ANC at work.

COMMISSION ON KHOISAN MATTERS

In terms of the TKLA the Commission is assigned to receive applications for the recognition from the KhoiSan communities, to date the Commission has received over 103 applications and the work is underway to meet the deadline of 31st August 2026. To improve proficiencies in the Commission programme we have committed to strengthen the staff capacity of anthropologist additional researchers to ensure that we align with the mandate and the term of the Commission. To be certain that there is easy access to information relating to the application process and guidance a toll-free line has been established for the applicants and members of the KhoiSan communities in general.

This will include consideration of a suitable operating model, a redesign of the claims process to reduce the unnecessary bureaucracy to fast track the claims.

The process to assess and authenticate application by the public is through provincial meetings that are being held with the Provincial Houses and to date meetings were held in EC, NW, FS and NC to discuss draft amendments. The Commission will conclude its work by making recommendations to the Minister on the possible recognition of KhoiSan communities and leaders.

This recognition of the KhoiSan Communities would be insignificant without the practice of their languages, working together with the Departments of Sports , Arts and Culture and Justice and Constitutional Development . We will work towards proposing a Bill looking at the 19th Constitutional amendment to make KhoiSan language the 13th official language of the country. In terms of Section 6 of the Constitution, there are twelve official languages the South Africa Sign Language, Sepedi, Sesotho, Setswana, Siswati, Tshivenda, Xitsonga, Afrikaans, English, IsiNdebele, IsiXhosa, and IsiZulu.

We welcome the recent National Assembly endorsement of the amendment to include South African Sign Language (SASL) as an official language, this is a huge milestone to promote the rights of persons who are deaf and hard of hearing.

It is hoped that by including the KhoiSan language as an official language, it would be an enabler that the language is practiced and does not diminish over time, it will include the promotion, inclusivity and equality, to prevent discrimination and their culture.

RURAL INVEST AND AGARIAN REVOLUTION

I am pleased to announce a collaboration on advancement of Rural communities’ economic growth through the utilization of land to promote and create conducive conditions for investment with the People’s Republic of Bangladesh. The groundwork cooperation discussions with the Embassy have already begun in full swing, and later this year South Africa will host the 6th Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM) between the two countries. I will be leading a committee of Deputy Ministers of Agriculture and Land Reform, Trade and Industry, Communications and Digital Technologies, Tourism, Arts and Culture and International Relations.

The Minister of Social Development has showed interest in the process as it will culminate in fighting poverty and ending hunger, in the main the attraction being Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee (BRAC) which is one of the world’s leading NPOs with a mission to empower people and communities out of poverty, illiteracy, disease and social injustice and we can certainly take a leaf from this work.

This will culminate towards the expansion of socio-economic, agricultural and economic development for effective utilization of fallow land. The cooperation will in addition include sectors such as tourism, the textile industry, information and communications technology, pharmaceuticals and defence, the implementation model would be suitable to the conditions of our countries dynamics.

Further more Honorable Members, my recent engagement with the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affair (UNDESA) has resulted in the institution pledging to provide technical assistance, project scoping to work in partnership with both government and the KhoiSan communities.

Honourable Members, the work of the Commission and the entire recognition process, is potentially going to bring about a Provincial House of Traditional and Khoi-San Leaders in the Western Cape Province. This significant development will see the participation of our Khoi-San communities and leaders in socio economic development and governance and thereby improving their lives and livelihoods. We are bringing change to the Khoi-San people in the Western Cape as the ANC led Government.

As an update, I am pleased to indicate that the Traditional Courts Bill has undergone all the necessary parliamentary processes and is now before the President for assent.

This Bill will soon be an act and it will afford South Africans to enjoy the justice system of their forebears, the restorative justice that is uniting and contributing to social cohesion and nation building. This is the ANC government in action.

IN CONCLUSION, HOUSE CHAIRPERSON

The Department will continue coordinating all relevant government departments to actively participate in the Agrarian Revolution Programme, which will be driven at district level to ensure that socio-economic development is realised, and people’s lives are improved.

The position by traditional leaders to adopt the developmental monarch approach is a progressive move as it requires traditional leaders to lead in socio-economic and developmental working approach. Through this approach it is our belief that the institution of traditional leadership will certainly have impact in changing the lives of our rural communities.

The president during the opening of the National House, directed that the Invest Rural Masterplan should be adopted by Cabinet, to ensure that this blueprint deepen socio-economic development in rural communities. Working together as the COGTA family, we will be implementing the 2022, Local Government Summit resolution to deepen consultation with municipalities as well as the South African Local Government Association (SALGA) to familiarize the provision of the Rural Invest Master plan to find expression in the local government planning cycle.

We request that the Honourable members support this Budget Votes as it will contribute towards the eradication of hunger, poverty, unemployment, and inequality, in the Rural communities. It is our hope that our plans and collaborative initiatives will bear fruits to make rural areas economically viable and safer for all our people, especially vulnerable women, youth and children.

I wish to extend words of appreciation to the Minister of COGTA Ms Themb Nkadimeng, Mpembe! The Deputy Minister Mr Parks Tau, Kwena! As the Troika of COGTA, we are determined to bring visible change in the Local Government sphere and ensure that the Institution of Traditional Leadership is developed. I wish to thank the leadership of the National House, The Commissioners on KhoiSan Matters and SALGA. The staff in my office and officials in the Department lead by the Director General, that we still have significant work to achieve in servicing the sector.

The mandate is clear, we are going to work and surely it will not be ‘Business as Usual’ as contribute towards the development of the sector. Lastly my sincere gratitude to His Excellency Deputy President Mashatile who has started to walk with us in ensuring that all matters of Traditional Leaders are attended to.

-I Thank You-