By Matome Sebelebele

THE Southern African Development Community (SADC) has vowed to push ahead with the formalisation of its local government structures to further put the sector at the cutting-edge of development in the region.

The move would increase the region's institutional capacity to push a common strategy and agenda in dealing with some of the thorny challenges facing local governments across the region.

South Africa's minister for provincial and local government Sydney Mufamadi, chairperson of the SADC local government ministers' forum, said the step would enable the regional local government spheres to implement wide-ranging developmental programmes in line with the Nepad goals.

Mufamadi added that the synchronization of local government would help improve the culture of good governance in the region. "We are of the view that local governance is a strategic developmental instrument for service delivery, infrastructure development and promotion of democracy as well as popular participation in matters of governance in the region," he affirmed.

SADC had long acknowledged the need for stronger local government in the region because of the role currently played by this sector in the upliftment of the quality of life of the region's population, elaborated the minister.

"It (the formalisation of the sector) will enable SADC to proactively and institutionally address challenges of the changing continental and inter-continental local government environment as well as provide an opportunity for SADC to develop perspectives to strategic and critical local government matters, especially in the African context," said Mufamadi.

The statement follows a meeting of the SADC council of ministers comprising foreign affairs ministers in Arusha, Tanzania, at the weekend. The gathering however noted strides made towards incorporating the local government sphere into the regional body's work.

To this end, Mauritius, Tanzania and Mozambique were requested to compile and submit to the council of ministers, a report outlining ways to accommodate local government into the ongoing restructuring of the SADC, from which a final decision would be taken by the region's heads of state in August.

SOURCE: - BuaNews