The Auwal Socio-Economic Research Institute (ASRI), a non-profit organisation dedicated to improving the quality of life for all South Africans, has launched a Youth-Led Municipal Oversight and Accountability Project in JB Marks Local Municipality. The project focuses on enhancing transparency and accountability in local government through the use and effectiveness of Section 79 committees in municipal governance, which are tasked with overseeing service delivery at the municipal level.

Led by youth leaders from Potchefstroom, aged between 20-30 years old, who represent a mix of students and young professionals, the project addresses the urgent need for enhanced oversight in public administration. It also seeks to educate and empower citizens to hold local government accountable for meeting the needs of their immediate community.

The project is conducting research to gauge public knowledge on local government service delivery and engage with the municipality to ensure that the Section 79 committees are capacitated in accordance with the provincial COGTA guidelines, thereby providing a more efficient and responsive channel for affected communities to voice their concerns and exercise oversight.

“The current crisis in ethics and accountability of public representatives requires greater oversight over government administration at all levels: municipal, provincial, and national,” says Zona Mboniswa, Municipality Oversight and Accountability Programme Manager at ASRI. “A programme of this nature provides a tool for citizens to be educated and empowered so that they can hold local government accountable for meeting the needs of the immediate community.”

Following comprehensive training conducted by ASRI, the young activists leading the project are enabled to design a feasible and achievable project within a short period.

Methodology

Research is conducted by documenting public experiences through surveys and in-depth interviews, employing both quantitative and qualitative methods to assess how the current state of Section 79 committees affect local residents, businesses, and community leaders in the JB Marks Municipality. This will be followed by identifying community challenges, fostering municipal collaborations, and promoting community representation within Section 79 committees.

“Our goal is to give residents a voice and work collaboratively with the municipality to find solutions,” said Tshegofatso Tshehla, the Project Lead. ” By understanding the challenges faced

by the community in which we reside, we can work together to strengthen oversight and foster participatory governance.”