Salga’s new provincial chairperson, Xolani Dube
The South African Local Government Association (Salga) in KwaZulu-Natal says it is gravely concerned about the spate of political assassinations, including amakhosi, and will prioritise public safety.
Salga’s new provincial chairperson, Xolani Dube, said service delivery and fostering a culture of transparency and public participation in municipalities were also priorities.
Dube was presenting his strategic vision for the association at his debut media briefing in Durban on Friday, having taken up the post after the appointment of his predecessor, Thami Ntuli, as KwaZulu-Natal’s new premier.
“We are all aware of the bad things that have been said about municipalities by the media — reports of inefficiency, corruption, poor service delivery. All those have tarnished the trust our citizens place in local government,” he said.
“I welcome all those challenges and among those challenges is changing that narrative. We are committed to transforming the perception by delivering tangible, positive change. First and foremost, Salga will focus on improving its service delivery.”
He said public safety was “paramount” and he would prioritise defining the role of amakhosi in local government, while motivating for the provision of swift security protection to both them and councillors who receive death threats.
“The recent spate of political killings, together with [those of] amakhosi in this province, is a grave concern and will receive my close attention. We will work hard, hand in hand with the South African Police Service to combat these acts of evil,” Dube said.
The high number of politically motivated killings was recently highlighted in a report which recorded at least 10 assassinations in the country in the four months from January to April this year. Of the 418 political hits recorded nationwide from 2000 to 2021, 213 took place in the last seven years, and 118 were in KwaZulu-Natal.
Violence and intimidation are warping the political landscape of the province, allowing strongman politics to flourish, the report warned.
Dube said the local government would need to take steps to address the assassinations crisis.
“If the local government has to take the initiative of giving amakhosi security or VIP protection, it must be clearly outlined that that is now the prerogative of local government. Amakhosi do sit on councils of local government and there must be a clear role defined,” he said.
“If there are threats, the process mustn’t take too long because we tend to lose lives if they delay too long, so there must be a way of fast tracking and facilitating [protection].
“We will be working with Cogta [cooperative governance and traditional affairs department] to see if the local government can take an initiative of guarding and giving security to amakhosi. Strengthening our relationship with law enforcement will be crucial in ensuring our people and communities feel safe and secure.”
Dube said residents had a right to know how their taxes were being spent and to see that services are being delivered.
“We continue to pursue our stakeholders for a review of a funding model of the local government. Also to make sure that budget allocation funding is aligned to the latest Stats SA report,” he said.
“Efficiency, transparency and accountability are the cornerstones of good governance. We will implement stringent measures to ensure that municipal processes are transparent and accountable fostering an environment of trust and integrity.”
He said all people deserve reliable access to clean water, proper sanitation and electricity, adding: “We will prioritise the development and maintenance of essential infrastructure to ensure these basic needs are met.”
Dube said Salga would work closely with the provincial and national government, civil society and the private sector “to overcome the challenges we face and create a future where all citizens of KZN can thrive”.
The association would also ensure that municipalities created a supportive environment for small businesses to stimulate economic growth and job creation.