Issued by: Ministry for Provincial Affairs
The Department of Constitutional Development is involved in the production of the Municipal Service Partnership policy framework. On Monday the 8th February 1999 a capacity programme on this subject will be Launched by the Director- General of the Department Mr Zam Titus. This launch will take place at the University of Durban Westville in the Senate chambers.
After extensive consultation the Department has developed a second draft of the regulatory framework. Two consultative workshops were held in 1997 with municipalities, NGO's and the business sector. The Department's MSP programme has two main components. These are the actual regulatory framework for MSP policy document, and the MSP capacity building programme aimed at strengthening of capacity at municipal level. The capacity building programme is scheduled to start on 8 February 1999 in Durban and is expected to contribute towards the building of capacity of the local government leadership on municipal service partnerships. The training modules will focus on techniques and best management practices in structuring municipal service delivery partnerships.
This programme will take over five months and will begin in Durban from 8 February 1999 in Cape Town 16 February 1999 and East London 23 February 1999. The purpose of the programme is to assist the local government leadership, Chief Executive Officers, Senior Managers and Line-workers to manage and monitor municipal service partnerships. Besides this initiative the Department will produce a citizen's guide to municipal service partnerships. On the other hand negotiations are already at an advanced stage with universities to incorporate MSP as part of their long-term strategy to sustain the MSP Capacity Building Programme.
We are confident that initiatives such as these will go a long way in empowering our municipalities to cope with the challenges of developmental local government. We have a vision that one day our municipalities will also be able to sustain the infrastructure challenges that face us. We call on all participants in the MSP Programme to attend the capacity building session and become fully involved in this all important programme.
Details of the programme will be made available at the launch and will be available from the Department thereafter. Persons requiring more information or wishing to participate in any one of these programmes can contact Ms Gugu Moloi at (012) 334 0600.
Issued by the Ministry for Provincial Affairs and Constitutional Development
4 February 1999
Contact Person: JJ (Onkgopotse) Tabane at (021) 462 1441 or 08204656166