Minister Hlabisa on the Municipal Turnaround Strategy and the Traditional and Khoi-San Leadership Bill
Departments: Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs
The state of South Africa’s municipalities remains a pressing concern. With governance challenges, service delivery inefficiencies, and financial distress plaguing many local councils, government’s response has been a coordinated effort to turn the tide.
On Tuesday, 11 February 2025, Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), Mr Velenkosini Hlabisa, alongside Deputy Ministers Dr Namane Masemola and Prince Burns-Ncamashe, provided Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on CoGTA with a detailed account of ongoing interventions. Their focus? The Municipal Performance Turnaround Strategy, the establishment of the Kings and Queens' Forums, and the Traditional and Khoi-San Leadership Bill.
A Municipal Recovery in Progress
Director-General Mbulelo Tshangana of the Department of Cooperative Governance (DCoG) presented an overview of municipal performance, highlighting a steady recovery. The number of stable municipalities has risen from 30 (12%) in 2022 to 61 (24%) in 2023, a 13% increase. Meanwhile, the number of distressed municipalities has decreased from 66 (25%) in 2022 to 35 (13%) in 2023, a drop of 12%.
However, this progress has yet to fully translate into improvements in service delivery and governance. The government attributes this upward trend to?intergovernmental support, technical interventions, and?financial recovery plans. The deployment of?specialist teams, better financial oversight, and?hands-on municipal assistance?have collectively driven stability in local governance structures.
Concrete results include enhanced audit outcomes, functional ward committees, and improved municipal infrastructure grant (MIG) spending. To further accelerate this momentum, the Municipal Infrastructure Support Agent (MISA) is implementing a strategic intervention under Schedule 6B of the Division of Revenue Act. This initiative, currently being piloted in uThukela District and Emfuleni Local Municipality, has mobilised R88.3 million to address infrastructure challenges.
Energy and Water – The Cornerstones of Stability
The government is intensifying its focus on energy security within municipalities. Several measures are under review, including the rationalisation of electricity tariffs, consistent application of Free Basic Electricity (FBE), and combating theft, vandalism, and ghost vending. The transition to Token Identification (TID) technology for prepaid meters is also underway, aimed at streamlining electricity management and reducing fraud.
Water and sanitation utilities are another critical priority. The department envisions transforming them into ring-fenced legal entities, capable of attracting investment to enhance capital and operational efficiency. This approach seeks to balance financial sustainability with affordability, ensuring more South Africans gain access to clean water and functional sanitation services.
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Addressing Local Government Underperformance
Following the Auditor-General’s presentation of municipal audit outcomes for 2022/2023 on 21 August 2024, CoGTA is implementing a tactical post-audit action plan. The strategy includes:
A suite of legislative and policy amendments is also in motion to enhance municipal functionality. These include updates to the Municipal Structures Act (1998), the Municipal Systems Act (2000), and the Municipal Property Rates Act (2004). The Intergovernmental Monitoring, Support and Interventions Bill, the Intergovernmental Relations Framework Amendment Bill (2024), and a revised White Paper on Local Government are all under consideration.
Furthermore, the Independent Municipal Demarcation Authority Bill aims to streamline municipal boundary adjustments while improving public participation and dispute resolution processes.
Traditional Leadership: Rebuilding Trust and Legitimacy
The Traditional and Khoi-San Leadership Act (TKLA) of 2019, which came into effect in April 2021, suffered a setback when the Constitutional Court ruled on 30 May 2023 that Parliament failed to facilitate adequate public participation in its drafting. As a result, the Act was declared unconstitutional and invalid.
To rectify this, a Section 154(2) Notice was published in the Government Gazette on 29 November 2024, inviting public commentary. Following widespread requests for an extension, the deadline was pushed to 28 February 2025. A structured timeline has been put in place to ensure that the Traditional and Khoi-San Leadership Bill 2024 is processed in compliance with constitutional requirements.
At the provincial level, concerns over customary initiation schools remain a high priority. Reflecting on the 2024 summer initiation season, Minister Hlabisa addressed the tragic deaths and amputations of initiates in the Eastern Cape. To curb these preventable tragedies, CoGTA is working with key stakeholders to achieve a “Zero Illegal Customary Initiation Schools” goal. Measures include mandatory health screenings, parental consent protocols, and better resource mobilisation, alongside societal advocacy for cultural modernisation.
Looking Ahead: Strengthening Local Governance and Traditional Leadership
Minister Hlabisa closed his parliamentary address with optimism regarding the National Convention of Khoi-San Leaders, scheduled for 14-16 February 2025. This landmark event aims to solidify a more inclusive and representative leadership framework for South Africa’s traditional communities.
My passion is in socio-economic development and research. I have been involved in many strategic programmes like urban renewal, urban farming, livelihood research & NPO support. For me, it's the STRATEGY, then the rest.
3 周I am happy to see how active the Minister seems to be.I wish to get a link of these strategies. I'm hesitant about the suite of legislative changes. However, I'm sure they are needed otherwise the Minister wouldn't be proposing them. I am also aware that experts out there have for a long time feel that local government is already over regulated. My two cents proposals are: 1. Return to meritocracy: Outsource the HR and SCM function to an inpendent agency or centralise them. Half of existing challenges will vanish. These two functions are counterproductive to national efforts. I would elaborate one day 2. Disband or remodel ward committees and reimagine participatory democracy. It is not happening anyway, in fact the public long started losing interest. Like I recently indicated, they just don't work. There's tons of research evidence to this effect 3. Municipalities must be incentivised to prioritise maintenance of especially key infrastructure over new public investments 4. Metros and Districts to be given full mandate and resources to deal with circumcision challenges. Forgive me if my ideas are outdated. Make lemonade, anyway.