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The latest Treasury report on Municipal Finances shows that R77.6 billion is owed to local governments across South Africa.

This is a wake-up call to Minister Baloyi. If he wants to sort out municipal finances, he must immediately finalise regulations in the Municipal Systems Act that stipulate the education, skills and experience requirements for municipal managers and senior officials.

It has been more than a year since the act has been passed and Minister Baloyi has missed a number of deadlines to finalise the regulations – most recently the 31 August deadline which he set for himself.

Service delivery is failing in ANC-governed municipalities because deployed cadres are appointed instead of skilled professionals with the expertise to keep municipal finances in shape.

The Minister must demonstrate his commitment to effective local government by finalising these regulations. It is the only way that we can ensure that we have the right people at the helm to achieve the turnaround that the Minister is so fond of talking about.