KEY REFORMS TAKE CENTRE STAGE AT SALGA LEKGOTLA TO STRENGTHEN LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Wednesday, 05 February 2025 | Newlands, Cape Town
Polokwane Executive Mayor Cllr Makoro John Mpe, in his capacity as Chairperson of the South African Local Government Association (SALGA) Limpopo, is participating in the high-level SALGA Lekgotla held in Newlands, Cape Town.
The gathering brought together key national and local government leaders, including Deputy President Paul Mashatile, Minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana and Minister of Electricity Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa to deliberate on critical governance matters affecting municipalities across the country.
Executive Mayor Mpe reflects on the discussions, particularly on municipal funding models, electricity distribution and service delivery.
“Yesterday was a really fruitful day where we discussed a high-level operational structure review. As SALGA, we want the funding model for municipalities to change. Not all municipalities are able to collect revenue and sustain it. We are, however, very confident that there is a strong commitment from the government to address this challenge,” said Cllr Mpe.
One of the key concerns raised during the lekgotla was the financial sustainability of municipalities. Many local governments struggle to generate and retain sufficient revenue to sustain essential services. According to Cllr Mpe, there is a growing recognition that municipalities require a more viable funding framework to ensure effective service delivery.
Energy security was another focal point of the discussions, with a particular emphasis on electricity distribution licensing. Cllr Mpe highlighted the need for municipalities to have a greater role in electricity provision, rather than ceding all control to Eskom.
“Instead of giving everything to Eskom, municipalities should also be licensed to become electricity providers for their suburbs. This will help increase municipal revenue while improving service delivery. Eskom should primarily focus on generation and transmission, while municipalities leverage their expertise to enhance local distribution, as seen in Maluti-a-Phofung,” he explained.
The engagement also provided an update from the Minister of Electricity who assured attendees that the challenge of load shedding is being effectively managed. “Going forward, we might not have load shedding. Localized load reduction, which has negatively affected many communities, is also being addressed,” Mpe noted.
The lekgotla also emphasized the importance of environmental cleanliness and sustainable waste management. Deputy President Mashatile proposed a nationwide municipal cleanliness competition inspired by international best practices.
“We agreed with the Deputy President on the importance of promoting cleanliness across the country. There will be a competition recognizing and rewarding the cleanest municipalities, encouraging our communities to maintain such high standards,” said Cllr Mpe.
Cllr Mpe says SALGA, as the apex body representing municipalities, continues to play a pivotal advocacy role to strengthening local government structures and ensuring that municipalities receive the necessary support to function effectively.
“After these engagements, I am confident that we will have a clear and structured programme to propel local government in the right direction. Water and electricity remain key priorities and challenges that we must address comprehensively,” he concluded.
This Lekgotla, according to Mpe, commits government leaders to tackle pressing municipal challenges while advancing initiatives that strengthen service delivery, sustainability and local governance effectiveness.
END