Western Cape: Water Update | Western Cape Government

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Western Cape: Water Update

25 June 2018

The Minister of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, Anton Bredell has noted comments made by a political party relating to the management of municipalities in the Western Cape.

The following refers:

 

The Western Cape Government relies on the independent reports of reputable institutions such as the Auditor General and Statistics South Africa when it comes to determining the quality of the management of councils within the province.

 

Over the past month there have been multiple reports that prove councils in the Western Cape are outperforming every other province in terms of service delivery and financial governance.

 

Stats SA’s latest Non-Financial Census of Municipalities (NFCM) report measures the extent to which South Africa’s 257 municipalities supply basic services across the country. The report found that the Western Cape showed the highest proportion of consumer units that benefited from the country’s free basic water policy, the free basic electricity policy and free basic sewerage and sanitation policy in the country.

 

In addition, the most recent MFMA audit outcomes looking at financial governance and management in municipalities, the Auditor General declared that only 33 councils in the entire country had achieved a clean audit outcome. 21 of those were in the Western Cape. There are 30 councils in the province.

See here: http://www.agsa.co.za/Reporting/MFMAReports/MFMA2016-2017.aspx

“It must also be noted that in 2009, there wasn’t a single clean audit in the Western Cape. We believe that the public places more value in the Independent reports of institutions like these, rather than in a statement released by an opposition party months before a national election,” said Minister Anton Bredell.

 

“Another difference in the Western Cape is that where municipalities have challenges, the province does not hesitate to step in. Regardless of party politics, the Western Cape has always made it very clear: if your fingers are in the till, they will be chopped off. Only months ago I asked the Hawks to step in at George municipality following an investigation that we started. That investigation continues.”

 

In addition, some highlights pertaining to work the Western Cape government does to ensure good government:

 

  • In the past three years two councils have been placed under administration successfully, and following hard work have been taken off the ventilator since. These were Oudtshoorn and Kannaland.
  • During the 2017/18 financial year, the Back to Basics Programme reached its 3rd year of implementation. As part of this programme 10 municipalities in this province were assisted with customised support plans tailored to each municipality’s needs.

Municipalities, which required intense support, were provided with more hands on assistance not only from the Department, but also from national sectors as well as the private sector. The Department monitors the progress on a monthly basis

One Municipality – Cape Agulhas – has already officially exited the program successfully, due to the completion of most projects on the support plan. Another Municipality – Swellendam - is ready to exit in 2018/19 financial year.

 

 

 

 

ENDS.

 

 

 

Media Enquiries: 

 

 

James-Brent Styan

Spokesperson for the Minister of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, Anton Bredell

Mobile:                   084 583 1670

Telephone:            021 483 2820

E-mail:                    James-Brent.Styan@westerncape.gov.za