MUNICIPAL
NEWS Steve Tshwete Local Municipality
A shining example of good governance For the past 20 years, Steve Tshwete Local Municipality (STLM) has been a glaring example of good governance and excellence.
Adv. Khenisa says that bagging another clean audit manifests that the municipality is on the right track of serving the residents of STLM.
Amidst rampant corruption and the collapse of many municipalities, the municipality is currently ranking well in good governance comparisons, and for the past five years it has been awarded clean audits.
He shares that this achievement is a result of working together with all municipal stakeholders, comprising of council members, staff members, residents and business owners, who all contributed to the success of the municipality.
In a recently tabled report by AuditorGeneral (AG) Tsakani Maluleke on the local government audit outcomes for the 2019-20 financial year, STLM is among 27 municipalities out of 257 municipalities across the country that received a clean audit. The audit focused on four areas, namely the annual financial statements, audit of performance objectives, compliance and internal controls, and was conducted based on the international auditing standards for the year under review. This report makes STLM the best performing municipality in the implementation of Local Economic Development (LED). STLM Municipal Manager, Advocate Bheki Khenisa, says that the continuous clean governance is a result of collaboration and teamwork of all members of STLM “whose common thrust is to serve our people and ensure that no one is left behind when it comes to the delivery of all government services”. He also attributes this success to the municipality’s consistent commitment to accountability, which comprises efficiency, integrity, transparent operations, performance in service delivery and administrative excellence.
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Municipal Focus
The Municipal Manager explained that good payment rates by ratepayers and proper internal controls have helped the municipality to render “the highest quality of continued service delivery for the residents of the municipality”. Conducive environment for business “We pride ourselves in proper and effective planning, steering, implementation and monitoring capacities. Our structures are effective, and our operations are rational and transparent. For years, the municipality has facilitated a conducive environment for business through good governance and excellent service delivery,” says Adv. Khenisa.
Executive Mayor: Cllr. Diphala Motsepe
contributed to significant improvements in access to services for the municipality’s dwellers. The municipality is manned by 58 councillors, of whom 29 are ward representatives and 29 proportional representatives, the Executive Mayor is assisted by six members of the Mayoral Committee, the Speaker, the Chief Whip and the Municipal Manager, who heads the administration. Ideal location
Unlike many South African municipalities facing revenue collection challenges, Adv. Khenisa says STLM has been enjoying a more than 95% payment rate since 2005. This is despite the financial crisis brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic. He explains that the stable revenue stream has built a financially sound and sustainable municipality well-positioned for thriving business activities for this Category B municipality. This has also
Ideally situated less than 150km from Pretoria and 170km from the country’s economic giant Johannesburg, the municipality is home to South Africa’s only stainless steel manufacturer, Columbus Stainless, which provides more than 2 000 job opportunities. It also has strong agricultural components and is situated in South Africa’s maize triangle. The municipality’s economy is abundantly supported by a mining and industrial income base.
