Parliament, Thursday, 5 December 2019 - The Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) today received a briefing from the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs on the draft Municipal Systems Amendment Bill.
The department appeared before the committee to brief the committee on, among other things, the draft Municipal Systems Amendment Bill which provides for the repeal of the Municipal Systems Amendment Act No.7 of 2011 and the introduction of the same provisions as provided for in the repealed Amendment Act and the transitional measures in the new Amendment Bill.
The committee applauds the department as the total of 1218 out of 1549 critical senior management positions have been filled with suitably qualified and competent people. In the past there were positions such as the position of the Municipal Manager that were filled by people who did not possess the necessary skills or qualifications.
According to the committee, the introduction of the competency tests for senior managers will strengthen the expertise at local government which will assist in boosting the confidence of the communities in the managers who manage their municipalities.
The draft Bill also prohibits municipalities from appointing anyone who has been found guilty of serious misconduct for a period ranging between two and ten years something which the welcomed. Further a register has been established of all staff who have been dismissed for misconduct or resigned prior to the finalisation of disciplinary proceedings.
The register contains the names of 1653 members of staff who were dismissed for misconduct and 130 who resigned prior to the finalisation of their disciplinary hearings.
According to the Bill, the Minister may make regulations to regulate the duties, remuneration, benefits and other terms and conditions of employment of municipal managers and managers directly accountable to the municipal managers.
The committee welcomed this amendment as in some instances the municipal manager’s salaries were exorbitant and exceeded that of the President of the country. The Bill takes away the power of approving an organogram by a municipal manager and no appointments can be made outside of the approved organogram by municipal council. Further the Bill prevents municipal staff members from holding political office in a political party whether in a permanent or temporary capacity.
The Chairperson of the committee, Ms Faith Muthambi said that the amendments are welcomed because the municipalities are going to be managed by capable and competent senior managers. Furthermore, the Bill enables the Minister of CoGTA to conduct investigations into maladministration, fraud, corruption or any other serious malpractice in a municipality, if the Member of the Executive Council (MEC) fails to conduct such investigations.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON COGTA, MS FAITH MUTHAMBI.
Arrange a tour