Issued by: Government Communications (GCIS)
MEDIA STATEMENT ON THE CONSULTATIVE WORKSHOP ON THE REGULATORY FRAMEWORK FOR MUNICIPAL SERVICE PARTNERSHIPS HELD ON 14 OCTOBER 1998
Although Government is committed to municipal service delivery and has put in place a range of municipal service delivery programmes, most of the municipalities are faced, not only with the challenge of meeting the needs of their communities, but also to address the disparities created during the apartheid era.
One of the ways available to municipalities to meet their constitutional, obligation of service delivery to their communities, is to implement partnership arrangements with a range of service providers from either the public, non-profit or private sectors which have the combination of capital, technology and or management experience needed to assist municipalities.
Government has now made the first draft of the Municipal Service Partnership Framework available as the basis for a consultation process. This process started on 28 September 1998 with a workshop the Department of Constitutional Development had with representatives of 170 municipalities, national and provincial government.
Today marks one of the key events in the consultation process as the Department hosted a workshop with potential service providers which included NGOs, parastals and the private sector which was represented by, amongst other, financial institutions, consultants and professional bodies. Extensive debates took place on the content of the Regulatory Framework, which included the legislative environment within which the Municipal Service Partnership will operate and the institutional arrangements that are necessary to make these partnerships function in a way that ensures that Government continues to provide services to people.
A great emphasis was placed on the need for the three spheres of Government, the private sector, and other institutions to join efforts and work towards ensuring efficient, effective quality and equitable service delivery to communities. Government continues to be bound to the promises it made in the Reconstruction and Development Programme and believes that the Regulatory Framework for Municipal Service Partnerships will go a long way towards empowering our people and providing access to services for them. The parties taking part in today's discussions expressed a keen interest to assist Government is ensuring service delivery.
After the workshop Ms Gugu, Moloi, Chief Director: Local Government Infrastructure and Planning of the Department of Constitutional Development stated that, as Government, we feel confident that the envisaged partnerships will allow us to move forward and minimise the risks to our communities and that together everyone achieves more.
Commenting on the way forward, she said that a task team made up of national government departments will meet monthly, and be responsible for overseeing the process. Both IMATU and SAMWU are represented on this task team. Bilateral Consultations have already taken place with IMATU and the meeting with SAMWU is scheduled for before the end of October.
ISSUED BY the Department of Constitutional Development on 14 October 1998
Enquiries: Ms Gugu Moloi: (012) 334 0740/2 or 082 4656165