REPORT OF THE SELECT COMMITTEE ON CO-OPERATIVE GOVERNANCE AND TRADITIONAL AFFAIRS ON BUDGET VOTE 29: DEPARTMENT OF CO-OPERATIVE GOVERNANCE AND TRADITIONAL AFFAIRS (Cogta)

 

Having considered the Budget Vote 29 of the Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs, dated 08 July 2009 the Committee reports as follows:

 

1.         Introduction

 

1.2        On the 30th June 2009, the Committee met with the Department to hear briefings on their medium term budget and strategic plans for the 2009/10 financial year. This was done as part of the Committee’s role in conducting parliamentary oversight and ensuring executive accountability, especially with regards to budget expenditure and the new mandate of the Department.

 

2.         Background

 

2.1        Those that appeared before the Committee for the briefings on the budget included Deputy Minister Y Carrim, Acting Director-General (DG) Mr Elroy Africa and other departmental officials. The main objective of the briefing session was to allow the Department to brief the Committee on its 2009/10 medium term budget, priority projects per programme and how it intends to address the challenges encountered with regards to realising its new vision and mission.

 

2.2        Cogta is the new Department for Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs. The establishment of Cogta was announced by President Jacob Zuma on 10 May 2009. Cogta was established to shift away from the narrower mandate of the former Department of Provincial and Local Government and to respond decisively to the enforcement and coordination weaknesses and failures observed in Government over the past 15 years.

 

3.         Deputy Minister’s Political Overview

 

3.1               Deputy Minister Carrim presented the political overview of the Budget Vote. The Deputy Minister indicated that the new mandate of the Department was to make government work better and to make it work far more effectively together with communities and key stakeholders at the local level. He further indicated that essentially the new mandate is to improve co-ordination across the three spheres of government and to make sure that provinces and municipalities carry out their service delivery and developmental functions effectively. 

 

3.2        In support of the new mandate, the Deputy Minister emphasised that working together and better implies that the Department will contribute to government achieving its promises and priorities for the next five years, which relate to creating decent jobs, fighting crime, rural development, health and education.

 

3.2               In conclusion, the Deputy Minister further indicated that as the custodian of the provincial growth and development strategy and integrated development plans, the Department had to ensure that development planning, funding, implementation, monitoring and knowledge management are well related and carried out smoothly across Government in consultation and partnership with civil society.         

 

4.         Departmental Budget Vote

 

4.1        Following the political overview by the Deputy Minister, the Acting DG, Mr Elroy Africa presented the Departmental Budget Vote. He indicated in his introduction that the main purpose of the presentation was to provide feedback on the performance of the Department and strategic overview of the new department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs.

 

Strategic Objectives

 

4.2        The Department has adopted the following high level five strategic objectives, which have guided the development of the strategies and the setting of the performance indicators and milestones: 

4.2.1                      Build and enhance the governance system in order to enable sustainable development and service delivery.

4.2.2                      Oversee the implementation of the intergovernmental programme of support to the Institution of traditional leadership to perform their constitutional mandate.

4.2.3                      Build and strengthen the capability and accountability of provinces and municipalities to implement their constitutional mandate.

4.2.4                      Monitor, evaluate and communicate the impact of government programmes in municipal areas in order to enhance performance, accountability and public confidence; and

4.2.5                      Strengthen the Depatment’s organizational capability and performance to deliver on its mandate.

 

Policy and Programme Achievements

 

4.3        The Department has achieved several milestones with regard to its strategic goals. They include the submission of policy reviews to Cabinet Lekgotla in January 2009 for consideration by the incoming government. During March 2009, the Department conducted support interventions including a communications plan. A policy on Khoi-San was developed, including the initiation of capacity building and skills development. Training material for skills development in service delivery and for traditional leaders was developed. Integrated Development Plans in the Provinces were analyzed.

 

4.4               Furthermore, during the year under review a National Strategic Framework for Comprehensive Municipal Infrastructure Management in the country was developed and communicated.  An assessment of Infrastructure Plans of municipalities in Limpopo, KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape was completed. More importantly, a funding model for Ward Committees and data base on ward committees was developed.

4.5               In addition, the Department has completed a framework for developing qualifying criteria for municipal indigents and development of municipal indigent registers. A data collection tool for reporting on the Five-year Local Government Strategic Agenda (5yr LGSA) was developed. Lastly, a Section 48 report on the performance of municipalities for the 2006/07 period was developed.

 

Lessons Learnt 

 

4.6               Several lessons were learnt during the past financial years and are elaborated in several annual reports. The challenges that confronted the Department throughout the years include the lack of clarity with respect to powers and functions between the three spheres of government which has led to inefficiencies and ineffectiveness in service delivery. Also what has been observed as a weakness is the voluntary nature of the IGR Framework which has proven to be an issue. The provision of Hands-on Support at the local level has significantly improved national government’s understanding of the challenges in the local space.

 

4.7        Furthermore, current local government is in a state of distress and the majority of South Africans have little confidence in municipalities. What has also been noted to be a challenge is the capacity of Provincial Government which needs to be strengthened and their role and responsibilities clarified. It has been observed that there is a lack of accountability and high levels of fraud and corruption at the local level remain a key challenge. Lastly, it has been noted that national coordination, regulation, support and oversight of local government is fragmented and dispersed throughout government.

 

Strategic priorities for 2009/14

 

4.8        The strategic priorities of the Department are to:

4.8.1           Facilitate integrated and responsive governance in a developmental state.

4.8.2           Strengthen accountability and clean government.

4.8.3           Accelerate service delivery and support the vulnerable.

4.8.4           Improve the developmental capability of the institution of Traditional Leadership; and

4.8.5           Foster development partnerships, social cohesion and community mobilization.

 

Priority 1: Facilitating Integrated and Responsive Governance in a Developmental State

 

4.9        The Department aims to make Government work and function better in a more integrated way in order to accelerate development that is sustainable and that improves the lives of communities. The Department aims to play a significant part in building a democratic developmental state, through Integrated Development Planning and Facilitation – National Planning Commission and PGDS’s. The spatial planning and land use management will play a significant role. Existing legislation will be reviewed in order to strengthen intergovernmental relations as well as accountability. The capacity of institutions and structures will be enhanced to strengthen institutional and cooperative governance and delivery.

 

Priority 2: Strengthen accountability and clean government

 

4.10      The Department aims to support provinces and municipalities to be more accountable to communities and to comply with all good governance policies, laws and practices. It aims to promote greater transparency and monitor provinces and municipalities more closely, through improving monitoring and oversight over Provincial Government and Local Government   The Department aims to combat corruption and promote ethics and integrity. This will be achieved also by targeting both officials and elected leaders. Service delivery is aimed to be improved through transparency and accountability.

 

Priority 3: Accelerate service delivery and support vulnerable

 

4.11      The Department will ensure that it plays a support and monitoring role so that service delivery and development are accelerated and that vulnerable groups receive targeted support. This will be done by accelerating provision of infrastructure and service delivery. The intended focus will be on quality of service, backlog, growth and maintenance. The Department aims to ensure the provision of infrastructure and services to stimulate economic development. Equally important, the Department will ensure that services benefit the vulnerable groups both provincially and at municipal level. The disaster management capacity would be improved and relevant support for 2010 Soccer World Cup Host Cities will be provided.

 

Priority 4: Improve developmental capacity of the Institution of Traditional Leadership

 

4.12      The Institution of Traditional Leadership will be assisted by the Department to transform itself to be a key partner with Government in the development of communities in rural areas in order to facilitate transformation and integration of the institution into the governance system.  The Department aims to ensure that the institution plays a key role in rural development, promoting peace, fighting poverty, promoting indigenous knowledge systems, combating the spread of HIV/AIDS. Lastly, the issue of functional relationships with civil society, organs of state and regional bodies will be prioritized.

 

Priority 5: Foster development partnerships, social cohesion and community mobilization

 

4.13      The Department aims to release resources to civil society in ensuring accelerated service delivery and development and the building of the country. As a result, this will give full meaning to cooperative governance in order to ensure a shared development agenda and support amongst key stakeholders. Trust will be embedded in the work and decisions of government by enhancing community participation. The Department will ensure communities become active partners in the provision of services and development. Social cohesion, non-racism and nation building at local level will be enhanced. Lastly, the Department will ensure effective implementation of international partnerships and agreements.

 

5.         Conclusion

 

5.1        Having considered Budget Vote 9 of the Department as an accountability and oversight mechanism, the Committee has observed that the Department was in line with its new mandate in addressing its five strategic priorities over the medium term. 

 

6.         Recommendations

 

6.1        In the interest of co-operative governance, the Committee recommends that the Department:

6.1.1                      Submit to the Committee the Departmental Funding Model on Ward Committees.

6.1.2                      Forward the Committee with a list of Municipalities that have not received hands on support from the Department.

6.1.3                      Submit to the Committee progress report on the White Paper on Local and Provincial Government.

6.1.4                      Submit to the Committee the Departmental 5-year National Strategic Agenda.

6.1.5                      Submit to the Committee the Departmental Framework and Guidelines on Disaster Management Strategy.

6.1.6                      Submit to the Committee progress report on the state of Municipalities in North West Province.

6.2        The Committee further recommends that the National Council of Provinces approves the Budget Vote.

 

Report to be considered.