A draft Bill on intergovernmental relations, setting out how national, provincial and local government must work together, is expected to be released for public comment in the next few weeks.
Effective coordination of planning and budgeting is crucial, in the government’s view, to the effective provision of basic services, infrastructure and social and economic development projects at local government level.
Minister of Provincial and Local Government Sydney Mufamadi was reluctant to comment until after Cabinet has approved the legislative proposals. ”Successful implementation of [development] programmes depends on all stakeholders,” he said.
The need for such legislation arose as work in the 21 rural development and urban renewal areas in recent years highlighted challenges in coordinating national, provincial and municipal action.
It will also signal the final step in the overhaul of local government, for which the government has set 2005 as a deadline.
President Thabo Mbeki has, of late, repeatedly signalled that he sees local governments as the weak link in the government’s efforts to improve the living standards of poor South Africans.
Intergovernmental relations in financial matters are already legislated, most recently through the Municipal Finance Management Act. It allows interventions in financially troubled municipalities and requires councils to budget, appoint city managers and financial officers and report regularly to the National Treasury.
Meanwhile, the Trade and Industry Ministry will shortly table three key Bills. These include the Enterprise Bill, which will extend government incentives — that currently only apply to the manufacturing sector — to other sectors, like the services industry.
The Cooperative Bill, which provides a legal framework for informal business and savings cooperatives, is also scheduled to be tabled before the Parliamentary deadline of July 30. Any Bill that has not been submitted to Parliament by then will not be processed this year.
Much of Parliament’s legislative programme deals with Bills not processed before it rose for the elections. These will be revived by a resolution of the National Assembly. They include the anti-terror legislation, the Sexual Offences Bill, which redefines rape, and the Children’s Bill, which child rights activists have slammed for failing to close the social security gaps.
The National Ports Authority Bill will be processed once discussions about how to split operational and regulatory functions are finalised with lenders, said Minister of Transport Jeff Radebe.