CAMPAIGNS

THE BULLETIN ASISHO! LET’S SAY IT

The South African Local Government Association launches the Asisho! Let’s Say It, which is geared towards reigniting the social contract between local government and citizens. By Bheki Sto le, President, SALGA

Addressing the sixth national conference of SALGA, President Cyril Ramaphosa told mayors, councillors, local government representatives and representatives of provincial and national government that local government was the order of government closest to people’s daily challenges and, equally important, an essential actor in economic development.

Taking a step forward to action resolutions from the SALGA 2022 National Conference held under the theme “Consolidating the role of local government in rebuilding local communities to meet their social, economic and material needs”, the Asisho (let’s say it) Campaign will give impetus to strengthening a people-centred local government.

The wellbeing of a local community is a shared responsibility between a local authority and its residents, and this is what lies at the heart of the campaign. Municipal household debt was the vehicle used to drive the message home.

In her recent report on local government audit outcomes for the 2020/21 nancial year, Auditor-General (AG) Tsakani Maluleke highlighted that the newly formed municipal councils are instrumental in activating the accountability ecosystem to shift the culture in local government towards performance, integrity, transparency and accountability through courageous, ethical, accountable, capable, and citizen-centric leadership.

She further highlighted the need for municipalities to improve their credit control and debt collection mechanisms to build a nancially viable local government system.

A system of local government that can provide clean drinking water, sanitation, electricity, and waste removal services for everyone, everywhere, and Asisho recognises that members of local communities also play a crucial role in realising these aims.

The campaign serves as an invitation to local government and citizens to partake in open dialogue, as well as actively engage in municipal service delivery by: • Encouraging citizens to pay for services for local government to effectively deliver its services. • Encouraging effective and efficient service delivery by municipalities. • Promote a capable and agile local government with citizens at the centre of service delivery. • Showcasing the impact of destroying local government infrastructure investments, which are key to unlocking economic potential and creating jobs. • Promoting the channels for citizens to lodge formal complaints.

INTERNAL ACTIVATION ACROSS SALGA AND THE MUNICIPALITIES 1. Real Worker Municipal Challenge Real Worker Municipal Challenge

While galvanising citizens, the While galvanising citizens, the campaign aims to also have a strong internal element focusing on municipal workers. While citizens are urged to do their part,

SALGA and municipal employees have a reciprocal responsibility. Regardless of the di culty or situation that the the di culty or situation that the worker experiences, the workers must worker experiences, the workers must work, they must SEBENZA!

2. Key Challenges for Municipalities Key Challenges for Municipalities

Currently municipalities are owed

R255-billion as at March 2022 for services consumed, with 64 per cent of that outstanding debt being irrecoverable, and at 69 municipalities, over 80 per cent is irrecoverable. The average collection period is 213 days, which adversely impacts on the nancial health of municipalities. The country’s scal framework perpetuates structural factors that impede or weaken municipalities in realising their constitutional mandate. Municipalities are allocated 9.1 per cent of nationally raised revenue against assigned responsibilities and mandates of approximately 46 per cent of the functions outlined in the constitution.

WHAT DOES SALGA HOPE TO ACHIEVE?

It’s imperative that there is a clear understanding that local government is everyone’s business.

The current state of a airs with regards to outstanding debt owed to municipalities a ects the ability of municipalities to honour obligations towards creditors such as Eskom and the Water Boards. So a willingness by local government to open dialogue with communities where we acknowledge the decline of public trust and recognise that rebuilding that will take commitment from all parties in crucial.

As a starting point, we urge all municipalities that received negative feedback in the AG’s audit report to place emphasis on improving their control environment, to implement their audit action plans with the AGSA recommendations in mind, and to do so with the seriousness required. SALGA rea rms its commitment to working with poor performing municipalities in an e ort towards improving the state of nancial management and governance in local government.

The Asisho campaign will promote a service delivery approach aimed at a

“people first” mandate showing that local “people first” mandate showing that local government is concerned about government is concerned about improving the lives of citizens improving the lives of citizens through improved governance through improved governance and delivery of services. The campaign also aims to tackle key issues being faced by municipalities, for example, Bheke the impact of the destruction of the impact of the destruction of Stofi le municipal buildings; and the Illegal municipal buildings; and the Illegal occupation of land, etc. occupation of land, etc.

INTENDED OUTCOME FOR OUR CITIZENS OUR CITIZENS

We hope that as an organisation we are able to encourage behavioural change across the board. What this means is that we hope we all consciously and deliberately learn from our missteps. It is therefore important to embark on pro ling campaigns to raise a people’s collective consciousness for the purpose of responsible citizenry. To try and raise awareness about accountability of municipalities and municipal workers to build and sustain better communities is beyond reproach.

Ultimately, Asisho is about people, about the South African citizen. It is about their individual lives, families and futures. SALGA is the catalyst that seeks to evoke a sense of responsibility and responsible action. Asisho! Let’s Say It. ▪