Johannesburg - The SA Local Government Association (Salga) in Gauteng is holding its two-day conference to elect members of its provincial executive committee (PEC).
The conference is also expected to nominate two members to the national executive committee (NEC), and establish and review provincial oversight bodies as required by law as well as approve the provincial programme of action and budget for the next five years.
City of Johannesburg councillor and Salga deputy chairperson in Gauteng Matshidiso Mfikoe said the association’s mandate is renewed every five following local government elections.
According to Mfikoe, the conference was held to ensure that local and provincial government is lobbied to assist municipalities with the provision of services.
”The gathering is meant to take stock of the work that the PEC and the NEC have done over the past five years, including developing a programme and elect a PEC that will ensure that the programme of action is implemented,” she said.
According to Mfikoe, Salga also wants to ensure national government and Cabinet take into consideration national including provincial programmes or responsibilities that they must do for municipalities.
She also addressed municipalities’ concerns about power utility Eskom.
”Salga has been very instrumental in those Eskom engagements with municipalities. We have made presentations as an organisation with Eskom. We have lobbied national government on behalf of municipalities,” she said.
Mfikoe also said Salga was also lobbying national government for support for councillors.
”We feel that councillors are the least supported public servants in the whole public sector, and national government needs to deal better with them, including their remuneration and protection,” she explained.
She added: “You find that communities will be angry at councillors for things that are national or provincial government-based and not based on the functions of the municipality.”
Mfikoe added it would be municipalities who will choose among the councillors in the different municipalities to serve in the different executive committees in all nine provinces.
Political Bureau