The Select Committee congratulates former Johannesburg mayor and current chairperson of the South African Local Government Association (Salga), Mr Parks Tau, on his appointment as the President of the United Cities and Local Government (UCLG) in Bogota‚ Columbia.

The Select Committee wishes Mr Parks Tau well as he begins his term at the umbrella body for local government around the world. The Select Committee believes the appointment will take South African cities and the continent to the next level of development and prosperity on the global stage. Equally, the Select Committee believes this appointment will enhance South Africa’s international engagement and participation, in order to ensure adherence and compliance with international treaties and cooperation.

The Chairperson of the Select Committee, Mr Jihad Mohapi, said Mr Tau’s appointment comes shortly after he was recently appointed to the advisory board of the World Resources Institute (WRI), as it establishes itself on the African continent. Mr Tau’s nomination was endorsed by all of UCLG’s member countries on the African continent.

Mr Mohapi further said that winning the presidency for a three-year term of office was a milestone for the African continent and South Africa. “The UCLG presidency would provide a platform for South Africa, the African continent, and the entire local government fraternity to drive the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), the Paris Accord on Climate Change, the New Urban Agenda (Habitat III), together with the Addis Ababa Action Agenda and the Sendai Framework on Disaster Risk Reduction,” Mr Mohapi added.

Issued by Parliamentary Communication Services on behalf of the Chairperson of the Select  Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Mr Jihad Mohapi