IMATU calls on the newly appointed Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) to deal decisively with corruption and other challenges faced by the Local Government Sector

The Independent Municipal and Allied Trade Union (IMATU), representing 109 700 employees in the local government sector, has welcomed the recent appointment of Mr Velenkosi Hlabisa as Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA).

IMATU has called on the new Minister to deal decisively with the challenges faced by the local government sector, such aswide-spread corruption, alarmingly poor audit outcomes, financial mismanagement, under-spending and procurement irregularities, lack of skills and capacity, irregular senior management appointments, lack of accountability and leadership, non-payments of pension and medical aid contributions, non-payment of salaries, interventions in dysfunctional municipalities, unstable coalitions obstructing service delivery and the absence of a single categorisation system for municipalities, to name but a few key issues.

These challenges highlight the urgent need for the Minister to prioritise the appointment of skilled professionals to key positions, curbing underspending and fruitless and wasted expenditure, protecting whistleblowers and taking action against corrupt officials.

IMATU has committed itself to working closely with the new Minister on these challenges and we have requested a meeting to discuss areas of potential collaboration. IMATU has also called on the Minster to consider establishing a permanent forum to discuss the sector’s challenges with organised labour on an ongoing basis.

IMATU has moreover pledged its support for a number of legislative proposals such as the Local Government General Laws Amendment Bill, which prohibit financial misconduct and fruitless and wasted expenditure, the Municipal Structures Amendment Bill, which regulates coalitions in municipalities and the Intergovernmental Monitoring, Support and Interventions Bill which regulates interventions in dysfunctional municipalities, and we will continue to support these and other similar initiatives.

IMATU has therefore conveyed to the Minister our full support, and we wished him every success and personal fulfilment during his elected term of office.

Quotes attributable to the General Secretary, Mr. Johan Koen:

“It is our firm belief that local government has great power to transform the lives of citizens who receive services provided. Considering South Africa’s history, many people still struggle to access basic services. The challenges we have highlighted in our letter to the new Minister significantly affect the ability of municipalities to provide services to its residents.

We hope that the Minister will deal decisively with the challenges faced by our sector and that he will welcome and accept our commitment to work together with his office to find meaningful solutions thereto. As a responsible trade union, we have a vested interest in the long-term sustainability of the local government sector.”