Issued by: Government Communications (GCIS)
MEDIA STATEMENT ON A MEETING BETWEEN THE THREE SPHERES OF GOVERNMENT TO DISCUSS THE FIRST DRAFT OF THE MUNICIPAL SERVICE PARTNERSHIPS REGULATORY FRAMEWORK
More than 170 municipalities, representatives from provincial and national government met on 28 September 1998 to discuss the first draft of the Municipal Service Partnerships Regulatory Framework during a workshop which was arranged by the Department of Constitutional Development. The Department believes that this Framework will go a long way towards creating a conducive environment for other innovative service delivery mechanisms that will enable people to have access to basic services.
The workshop was concluded in a spirit of cooperation between the three spheres of government regarding the subject of municipal service partnerships. According to the Director General, Mr Zam Titus and the Chief Director: Municipal Infrastructure and Planning, Ms Gugu Moloi, this workshop was an attempt by the Department to solicit inputs from the other spheres of government on the proposed framework. Furthermore, it was aimed at informing municipalities about national processes that affect them.
The forum was a most useful exercise as the municipalities were able to raise their particular concerns. The municipalities stressed that this framework should be enabling and allow them to make informed decisions regarding service delivery options they choose in order to bring services to the people within their areas of jurisdiction. They took a holistic view that their mandate is to extend services to all people and that the options presented in the Local Government White Paper gave them the opportunity to be innovative in providing this service. The notion of having a locally driven and nationally supported framework received the full support of the municipalities.
Gugu Moloi confirmed that this workshop was part of the Department's overall consultation strategy to involve a range of stakeholders in articulating the content and defining the parameters of the regulatory framework. The Department had already met with one of the key unions active at local government level - IMATU and that a meeting with SAMU was scheduled for the end of October.
The Department is planning a special workshop aimed at service providers for 14 October 1998. NGOs, CBOs, financial institutions, the private sector, and other public service delivery institutions will be invited to this workshop. This is to ensure that the public-public partnerships, public-private and public-NGO/CBO partnerships are given sufficient attention in the Framework. After the consultation process, a second draft will be produced.
Issued by the Department of Constitutional Development Enquiries: Ms Gugu Moloi: 082 4656 165