Recently the ANC in Limpopo convened its much-awaited provincial general council (PGC).
The PGC is tasked with the responsibility to craft a new political trajectory for the party.
Post 1994, the ANC regards itself as the strategic centre of power that provides direction to government. The PGC has powers to review, reassess and redefine the priorities and programmes of government. The state of governance and service delivery trends were also discussed by delegates at that PGC.
Another critical aspect that captured the minds of delegates was the dire state of municipalities in the province. The highly anticipated contestation for the position of ANC provincial treasurer was also a focal issue at the PGC.
Renowned ANC intellectual, Danny Msiza, and fellow comrade, Joe Mathebula, were contesting for that position. In a majestic display of triumph, ANC delegates voted overwhelmingly for Msiza to become the party’s new provincial treasurer. Msiza is a prolific political strategist and his mastery of revolutionary theory is superbly phenomenal.
The state and functionality of our municipalities was extensively discussed at the PGC. Most municipalities in the province are in dire financial shambles and are unable to fulfill their core functions.
Incompetence, leadership squabbles and toxic factionalism are wreaking havoc in most of our municipalities. There are some mayors who blatantly fail to bring efficiency and prudence to their municipalities. There are mayors who have never secured any clean audit reports for their municipalities. The simmering rivalry between mayors and municipal managers is evidently aggravating problems in our municipalities.
The paralysis of the Mogalakwena Municipality was occasioned by political infighting and pseudo-personality altercations. The Limpopo ANC should be applauded for its decisiveness in dealing with incompetent and dysfunctional mayors. Early this year the ANC recalled mayors who were failing to advance service delivery in their municipalities.
Community protests are generally triggered by councillors who fail to bring prosperity and development to their communities. In many cases, councillors do not update residents about government’s integrated development plans and priorities.
There is a persisting “social disconnect” between councillors and community residents. The Municipal Systems Act must be amended to compel councillors to live within their communities until the end of their tenure.
The ANC should never hesitate to recall mayors and councillors who are failing to advance service delivery. At all times, the ANC should never tolerate incompetence, mediocrity, laziness or dishonesty among its deployees. There must always be far-reaching consequences for incompetence, poor workmanship, corruption and maladministration. Municipal mayors and councillors who are failing to create a better life for all should be recalled or redeployed.
The ANC should sharpen its axe on the grinding wheel so that it can act swiftly against lazy and incompetent deployees. Mayors, municipal managers and councillors hold the key to the realisation of a better life for all people. Our province should display zero tolerance towards laziness, mediocrity, incompetence and corruption.
Our province is currently trending on a new epoch of hope, inspiration and the pursuit of greatness. Socio-economic advancement and prosperity should become the new defining feature of our democratic dispensation. And we dare not fail in our collective pursuit of that glorious aspiration.
Elvis Masoga
Political Analyst
