Mayors and councillors from municipalities across South Africa are scheduled to produce broad plans to guide local government to achieve its goals at a conference this week.
The meeting will pay particular attention to accelerated service delivery.
The national conference of the South African Local Government Association (Salga), which starts on Monday in Midrand, will carry the theme: ”Together strengthening local government to eradicate poverty and create jobs through accelerated service delivery”.
The goals in question were set in 2005, according to Salga spokesperson Mbangwa Xaba.
The conference, which is the highest decision-making body of organised local government, will also brainstorm practical steps to help South Africa meet the United Nations Millennium Development Goals.
President Thabo Mbeki will address the 1 500 delegates on Monday.
”The conference comes just three years ahead of the hosting of the world’s most prestigious event, the Fifa Soccer World Cup in 2010 by nine cities across our country,” said Xaba.
”Even more significantly, it takes place amidst calls for improved service delivery, visible efforts in the fight against poverty, the scourge of HIV/Aids and for improvement in the quality of people’s lives.”
It will tackle 10 key issues in commissions. These include: municipal finances; economic growth and development; infrastructure development; community participation and communications; social development; the 2010 Fifa World Cup; and skills development and capacity building. — Sapa