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The South African Local Government Association (SALGA) welcomes President Cyril Ramaphosa’s appointment of new Cabinet Ministers and Deputy Ministers and looks forward to a continuing collaboration and partnership with the National Executive, to address the daunting challenges that municipalities and their communities are facing. 

President Ramaphosa announced changes to his cabinet on Monday, March 6, 2023, and these changes included the appointment of a new Deputy President, Ministers and Deputy Ministers. 

These appointments, which come at a crucial time for our economy, for local government, and for citizens all over the nation, are welcomed and are expected to give the government new vigor in its efforts to address the socio-economic, environmental, and governance challenges the country is currently facing.

SALGA President Cllr. Bheke Stofile said the appointments couldn't have come at a better time, as they send a strong signal that government is focusing on key governance issues that require immediate attention.

“SALGA, the national voice of local government in South Africa, is looking forward to working with the newly appointed and retained ministers to further strengthen our collaborative efforts. For our country to recover, remain stable, reform, and grow, there must be a strong and enduring partnership between all three spheres of government, which we expect to be strengthened by these new changes,” Cllr. Stofile said.

The appointment of Honourable Thembi Nkadimeng and Honourable Parks Tau as Minister and Deputy Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), respectively, by President Ramaphosa is especially warmly welcomed by SALGA.

“As former SALGA Presidents and Executive Mayors of Polokwane and Johannesburg, respectively, Minister Nkadimeng and Deputy Minister Tau bring a wealth of experience and expertise on local government issues and SALGA looks forward to the future growth of the collaborative efforts with COGTA on municipal governance issues,” Cllr. Stofile said.

SALGA further welcomes the appointment of Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa as the Minister of Electricity in the Presidency to speed up the implementation of the National Energy Plan.  As a former Executive Mayor of the City of Tshwane, Dr Ramokgopa is ideally qualified and experienced to work closely with the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Minister of Water and Sanitation, Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment and SALGA to collectively find solutions to our electricity, water, sanitation, waste management, environmental management, and other challenges. These include the externalities of load shedding such as loss of revenue, damage to electricity distribution networks, especially substations, damage to treatment plants and other infrastructure, theft and vandalism of infrastructure linked to load shedding.  

SALGA once more extends its congratulations to the newly appointed National Executive members and wishes them success in their new positions.

Issued by The South African Local Government Association