We have detected that the browser you are using is no longer supported. As a result, some content may not display correctly.
We suggest that you upgrade to the latest version of any of the following browsers:
close notification
Date
: 21/09/2005
Source: Department of Provincial and Local Government
Title: Msengana-Ndlela: Preview on Mopani District Municipal
Imbizo
Project Consolidate – Municipal Special Imbizo:
Preview on Mopani District Municipality by the Director-General:
Department of Provincial and Local Government (dplg), Ms Lindiwe
Msengana-Ndlela
Introduction
The Deputy President of the Republic of South Africa, Ms Phumzile
Mlambo-Ngcuka, accompanied by Cabinet Ministers, will visit the
Mopani District in the province of Limpopo on Friday, 23 September
2005. The Municipal Izimbizo programme is an integral part of
Project Consolidate and will focus specifically on elected
representatives in local government, municipal officials and
members of ward committees in these communities.
Background
Project Consolidate, a hands-on local government support and
engagement programme, was launched in October 2004. It is targeted
at 136 municipalities throughout South Africa that need support to
enhance service delivery. Since the launch of the Project,
Government has been focusing on the service delivery challenges and
capacity constraints that are facing individual municipalities.
This was informed by a detailed assessment of challenges according
to each province and the municipalities concerned.
Government together with its partners (state-owned enterprises, the
private sector and development agencies), will be supporting these
municipalities targeting the following five key performance areas
(KPAs):
* Basic Service Delivery and Infrastructure;
* Local Economic Development;
* Municipal Transformation and Institutional Development;
* Municipal Financial Viability; and * Good Governance and
Community Participation.
In the context of Project Consolidate, the President, the Deputy
President and Cabinet Ministers are pursuing the Municipal Izimbizo
programme, whose objective is to support municipalities in the
achievement of these key performance areas and to deepen local
government transformation.
Brief profile of Mopani District Municipality The Mopani District
Municipality is characterised by mainly rural conditions and is
spatially located far from the main economic centres of South
Africa and the Limpopo province. Low levels of economic activity
are prevalent in the District, together with high unemployment and
extreme poverty.
The low levels of education and skills place the area in a
disadvantageous position, and also make it difficult to retain
those who are skilled and qualified. Mopani District Municipality
comprises four local municipalities that extend over approximately
10 000 square kilometres in the north-east of Limpopo Province.
These municipalities are:
* Greater Tzaneen: Dan, Haenertsburg, Ka-Muhlaba, Khangela,
Lenyenye, Letsitele,
Lehujwana, Nimogoma, Mogoboya, Nkowakowa, Olyfberg, Politsi,
Rubbervale, Tzaneen and Veekraal.
Two of these municipalities, namely Greater Giyani and Greater
Letaba local municipalities, have been identified as requiring
assistance under Project Consolidate.
The total population in the area of the District is approximately
one million, with a number of households ranging at about 218 796.
Women constitute 49,9% while men make up 50,1% of the
population.
The area is characterised by: a large number of settlements with
limited accessibility due to poor roads and internal streets, large
areas of land with high agricultural potential; significant amounts
of state-owned land under the custodianship of traditional
authorities; mining activities; numerous environmentally sensitive
areas such as Makgoebaskloof indigenous forests, Modjadji cycads
area, Lekgalametese and Thabina nature reserves and Wolksberg
Wilderness areas.
The main areas that require government intervention, under the
auspices of Project Consolidate, are summarised below:
Basic Service Delivery and Infrastructure
Access to water and electricity for lighting purposes within the
District is above the provincial average.
There has been some progress made, particularly with regard to the
provision of water and electricity for lighting purposes, which is
above the provincial average of 78,8% and 64,3% respectively, in
all the municipalities. Close to 72% of the households in the
District have access to electricity. However, there is still an
urgent need to improve service delivery to the remaining poor
households. According to the official sources from the sector
departments and Statistics South Africa, out of a total of 218 796
households, the backlogs with regard to basic service delivery are
as follows:
The economy of the District is one of extremes. It consists of a
high wealth generating mining and commercial farming industries.
All these industries co-exist with vast tracts of subsistence
farming, low levels of economic activity and extreme poverty.
Of the 554 579 people aged between 15 to 65 years, 52.2% are not
economically active. A total of 144 285 people are employed, 63.8%
in the formal sector, 18.9% in the informal sector and 14.5% in
farming.
Economic growth remains a challenge for the District and has been
prioritised by the District Municipality with specific emphasis on
agriculture, forestry, tourism and manufacturing. Job creation and
poverty alleviation should be an important priority for this
District.
Municipal Transformation and Institutional Development
All municipalities have appointed municipal managers. Institutional
capacity, however, varies amongst the municipalities, with some
being better capacitated to fulfil their mandate, than others.
Added to this is the fact that the Mopani District Municipality
together with the local municipalities has an envisaged total
number of 2279 posts; of which 1 674 are filled and 605 remain
vacant. The challenge of lack of sufficient qualified personnel,
especially in the technical areas, also continues to hamper the
performance of key functions.
Whilst this is a matter of concern and which will be discussed at
the Imbizo, support to the District Municipality will be provided
through Project Consolidate initiatives.
Municipal Financial Viability
The Mopani District Municipality has a high dependency on grants
from national and provincial government, which is currently at a
level of approximately 73%. The remaining source of income (27%) is
generated from regional levies and other municipal levies.
During the Imbizo, it is expected that there will be a focus on
financial management as well as the implementation of current
provisions of the law, such as the Local Government: Municipal
Finance Management Act, 2003 and its Regulations.
Good Governance and Community Participation
It has been reported that ward committees have been established in
this District. The functionality of these ward committees will be
under scrutiny during the Imbizo. Discussions will also focus on
the extent to which the respective municipalities have provided
support to these Ward Committees, in view of local government
legislation.
Conclusion
It is within this context that the Imbizo on Friday, 23 September
2005, will directly seek to engage communities and stakeholders in
the implementation of Project Consolidate, as a practical,
appropriate and national programme to deal with challenges some of
which are raised in this preview, that of service delivery and
development at local government level.
Project Consolidate is intended to provide increased opportunities
for the different spheres to work together with communities in
addressing challenges of poverty and underdevelopment.
Issued by: Department of Provincial and Local Government
21 September 2005
Map
