KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Local Government, Housing and Traditional Affairs, Mike Mabuyakhulu, warned councillors at the recent South African Local Government Association's (Salga) provincial council, against falling prey to the "demon of ambition and self-interest".
He said a number of interventions had been introduced at provincial and national level to enhance service delivery, but Kwa-Zulu-Natal still had a mixed bag of municipalities which included citadels of excellence and others struggling with serious difficulties.
Mabuyakhulu was addressing councillors and city managers from municipalities across the province at the South African Local Government Association’s (Salga) provincial council held in Durban recently. He said in the past year only seven of the nine high capacity municipalities in Kwa-Zulu-Natal had submitted their annual reports as required by the Municipal Finance Management Act.
"This is extremely concerning and as leaders, you are required to ensure accountability, effective governance and compliance are achieved," he told the council. The MEC denounced those who abused public office by seeking to enrich themselves at the expense of the communities they served.
"Why are you in office?" he asked. "You cannot serve two masters – you must either serve the public or yourselves."
Mayor Obed Mlaba, chairman of Salga in KwaZulu-Natal, concurred. He said under the government's Project Consolidate, municipalities needed to put aside their differences and bring service delivery to the fore.
"As municipalities and districts we need to stop competing against one another and instead lend a hand to enhance service delivery," he said. Ekurhuleni Mayor Duma Nkosi who sits on the Salga National Executive Committee said municipalities had to accelerate service delivery and job creation.
He quoted President Thabo Mbeki to drive home his point. "We would like to warn those who think our municipalities are cash cows ready to be milked by greedy and corrupt councillors, business people and officials, the law will deal with them appropriately so that the resources intended for our communities are correctly utilised."
The Salga provincial general council preceeds a national council gathering which is expected to take place in Gauteng later in April.
Source: ethekwini.gov.za
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