STATEMENT BY ICB REGARDING LOCAL GOVERNMENT SUMMIT

Issued by: SA Communication Service

PRESS STATEMENT ISSUED BY THE INTERIM CONSULTATIVE BODY FOR ORGANISED LOCAL GOVERNMENT (ICB) REGARDING LOCAL GOVERNMENT SUMMIT: 21 - 23 NOVEMBER 1996, DURBAN.

The Interim Consultative Body for Organised Local Government (ICB) will be hosting a national local government summit, which is to be held in Durban from Thursday 21 November to Saturday 23 November 1996. Key note speakers during this summit will be amongst others President Mandela and Minister Valli Moosa, Minister of Provincial Affairs and Constitutional Development.

The ICB was formally established in 1995 to pursue the following objectives:

to represent local government in all matters regarding local government on national and international level;
to take positive steps to promote the autonomy, status, character and viability of local government;
to participate in and contribute towards the restructuring and rationalisation of existing voluntary and statutory local government;
to facilitate joint decision-making regarding local government amongst stakeholders in local government; and
to determine the principles and the framework for a constitution for a permanent representative body for local government.

This local government summit, will have as it's main purpose:

to celebrate the democratisation of local government following the local government elections;
to create awareness of the newly acquired status and role of local government in the new Constitution as a distinct sphere of government;
to promote and create awareness of the proposed White Paper on Local Government as a vision for local government in the 21st century; and
to launch the new national association for organised local government.

This new body, to be known as the South African Local Government Association (SALGA), will have as it's main objectives the following:

to represent, promote and protect the interests of local government at national and international level;
to become the body recognised by the Minister in the National Government responsible for Local Government as the official organ through which the interests of local government are promoted and its views are conveyed to central government;
to, where necessary and appropriate and on request by the provincial association, make representation to the provincial government;
to enhance the position, role and status of the provincial associations without diminishing their autonomy or relevance.

There will be a press conference to announce the launching of SALGA at 14:00 on Wednesday 13 November 1996. The press conference will be in A-level Lecture Theatre, A-level Basement, Metropolitan Centre, 158 Loveday Street, Braamfontein, Johannesburg.

ALL MEDIA WELCOME

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT THE NATIONAL INTERIM CONSULTATIVE BODY FOR ORGANISED LOCAL GOVERNMENT AT (051) 447 1960 / 1968.

12 November 1996