It is a matter of weeks before the people of KZN find out which mayor or municipality among the 61 in the province are the best champions of creative and innovative service delivery, as voting and judging in the annual KZN MUNICIPAL EXCELLENCE AWARDS nears conclusion.

“The aim of the coveted KZN Municipal Excellence Awards is to provide members of the public with an opportunity to evaluate the performance of local government and by voting for the best performing mayor or municipality give feedback to their local elected representatives,” said KZN MEC for Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) Nomusa Dube.

These awards are designed to reward municipalities that are excelling in the delivery of services and create incentives for municipalities that go beyond the call of duty in their endeavors to deliver a better life for all.

“We are encouraged by the overwhelming participation of residents across KZN who are phoning in and sending text messages in support of their mayors or municipalities. What is of importance to us are the reasons communities cite in voting for or against a particular municipality. This feedback will be passed on to municipalities so that they can improve their efforts,” added Dube.

COGTA’s prestigious awards are yet another way of improving the quality of life for all citizens, encouraging service excellence in municipalities and promoting oversight of local government by the wider public.

The KZN Municipal Excellence Awards attract entries from across the 61 municipalities which in addition to the public voting process are judged in terms of five key performance areas, namely service delivery and infrastructure development, local economic development, municipal financial viability, municipal transformation and institutional development, and good governance.