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.

* Ba-Phalaborwa: Gravelotte, La Cotte, Leydsdorp, Lulekani, Murchison, Namakgale, Phalaborwa
* Greater Giyani: Bend, Gaula, Giyani, Ka-Homu, Khakhala, Nkomo, Thomo
* Greater Letaba: Ga Kgapane, Ga-Phooko, Hildreth Ridge, Mamaila, Middelwater, Modjadji,
Modjadjikloof (Duiwelskloof), Mooketsi,
Raphahlelo, Rotterdam.

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:

* Water: 92 265 households
* Sanitation: 159 183 households
* Electricity 65 529 households
* Refuse removal: 193 723 households.

Local Economic Development

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