President Jacob Zuma today convened the meeting of the President’s Coordinating Council (PCC) at Tuynhuys in Cape Town and several important issues were discussed aimed at promoting coherence and efficiency in the delivery of services between the three spheres.

The PCC is a statutory meeting of the President with the leadership of provincial and local government - the Premiers and leadership of the South African Local Government Association (SALGA) - that is held regularly to promote sound and effective cooperative governance.

Among other issues, the meeting discussed the drought and water crisis engulfing the Western Cape Province, with the province appealing for assistance. The meeting agreed to refer the Western Cape matter to the Inter-Ministerial Task Team led by the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs and include the Minister of Water and Sanitation to address the challenge of drought and cover other affected provinces as well.

The meeting also received a report back on the constitutional, systemic and structural challenges relating to Eskom and municipalities on electricity reticulation.

A progress report was also received on the Presidential War on Leaks Programme, which President Zuma spearheads and is aimed at fighting water leakages while providing youth with skills as plumbers and in various artisan trades.

President Zuma also noted with concern the reported failures by some government departments and provinces to pay particularly small businesses on time, within the stipulated 30 days of submitting legitimate invoices.

“Failure to pay on time has a negative impact on our economy especially on the small businesses which run the real risk of being squeezed out of business activity,” said the President.

President Zuma concluded the meeting by calling on all levels of government to work together efficiently to deliver services to the communities and for government departments to ease the bureaucracy that stifles the growth and prosperity of small businesses.

 

Issued by the Presidency