Single election for SA by 2014

KIMBERLEY -- South Africa will have a single election for all spheres of government by 2014, the Minister for Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Sicelo Shiceka, said on Tuesday.

"In South Africa we are constantly busy with elections and there is no time to deliver service," he said at the SA Local Government Association's (Salga) national members' assembly.

• Shiceka reminded delegates that the term for municipal councillors would be three years after the 2011 municipal elections.

Hundreds of municipal executive mayors, mayors and councillors were attending Salga's national members' assembly, which was the highest decision-making body for Salga between national conferences.

Shiceka said all mayor and municipal managers would meet President Jacob Zuma within the next two months to sign performance agreement contracts.



"A special meeting will be convened to discuss the implementation thereof."

Shiceka said the agreements would be aligned to a performance agreement that he signed with the president.

"This is the delivery of basic services to all South Africans which would include water, sanitation, electricity and waste management by 2014."

The minister said this would also include the creation of 4,5-million job opportunities by 2014 and the transformation of administrative and financial systems of municipalities including supply chain management.

• Municipalities should by then also be able to collect 90% of their revenue.
• A properly qualified and skilled official must also be in place in six strategic posts: a municipal manager, a chief financial officer, town planner, an engineer, a communication officer and a human resource manager.
  

Shiceka said it was time that basic service delivery in South Africa should come into place "so that government could look at other issues".

He said all municipalities had done their "turn-around strategies", decided by Cabinet in December 2009, for implementation.

Earlier, Northern Cape premier Hazel Jenkins urged Salga to address the "considerable administrative and political instability" at municipalities.

"Our municipalities have been severely weakened by high staff turnovers together with staff who lack proper skills and the requisite expertise."

Jenkins said the problem was made worse by municipalities' inability to retain staff in areas of management, finance and engineering.

She said municipalities should review their recruitment and retention practices to ensure that they deploy the right person for the right job at the right time.

Jenkins said the relationship between officials and the political leaders should be strengthened to clarify accountability. -- Mail & Guardian Online, via Sapa