A tale of two reports, by Dave Snashall

DEAR Editor,-

Both Hibiscus Coast Municipality (HCM) and Ugu District Council held their monthly meetings last week. On both agendas were reports on the Presidential Local Government Summit attended by the political leadership of both municipalities, held on 18 September, 2014. The summit was addressed by President Zuma himself.

In the report tabled at Ugu, it was stated that all the municipalities in the Republic had been grouped into three categories in terms of a ‘back to basics’ campaign. The top group provided basic human rights, the middle group was fairly functional with average performance, whilst the third group consisted of dysfunctional municipalities that needed intervention to get the basics right.

The report-back on the presidential summit presented at HCM went somewhat further and stated that the Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) minister had categorised four groups. The first was those municipalities that were doing well, next was those that were functional, then came those that were challenged, and finally those that required intervention.

HCM was listed as one of the best municipalities in KZN and was doing well, whilst Ugu itself was listed as one of the worst eight municipalities in KZN, requiring intervention. The reasons listed for this catergorisation included endemic corruption, dysfunctional councils, and poor financial management.

It is common knowledge that Ugu is already the beneficiary of an MFMA Section 137 Voluntary Intervention by Province with both Cogta and Treasury providing support to the municipality. If there is to be another intervention, the question arises whether there will be a mandatory Section 139 Provincial Intervention as well, with all that that implies.

DAVE SNASHALL

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