George hosts gathering of good governance

GEORGE NEWS - "Local government is the heartbeat of our democracy. Every day, the decisions we make have a direct impact on the lives of our citizens."

With this introduction to his keynote address for the 18th Provincial Members' Assembly of Salga (the South African Local Government Association) Western Cape, chairperson Donovan Joubert called on municipalities to keep up the good work.

The two-day event opened at the Protea Hotel King George yesterday, 8 October, and concludes this afternoon.

Joubert praised the Western Cape municipalities for their achievements, noting that the province continues to lead the country in clean audit outcomes.

The West Coast District Municipality was recently named the best-run municipality in South Africa, while Saldanha Bay, Swartland, Swellendam and Hessequa received top honours in the Ratings Afrika Municipal Performance Awards.

He also commended municipalities such as George, Drakenstein, Mossel Bay and the City of Cape Town for their innovations in infrastructure, energy, waste management and tourism.

Annelie Rabie (National Executive Member of Salga), Heinrich Mettler (Municipal Manager, Saldanha Municipality) and Riaan de Ridder (Director: Technical Services, Cederberg Municipality).

Joubert touched on the pressures local government endured over the past year: financial constraints, service delivery backlogs, infrastructure maintenance, climate change and governance concerns.

He listed George Municipality's progress in infrastructure upgrades and financial management as a positive stride.

Others include the City of Cape Town taking the lead on energy diversification and renewable solutions; Drakenstein is pioneering waste management and recycling initiatives; and Mossel Bay and Overstrand are successfully leveraging tourism to drive local economic development.

Pauline Hess (Speaker, Langeberg Municipality), Elizabeth Sidego (Speaker, Witzenberg Municipality) and Trevor Abrahams (Mayor, Witzenberg Municipality).

"And most recently, we have every reason to celebrate," said Joubert. "Just a few days ago, the Western Cape made a clean sweep at the National Municipal Awards, showcasing excellence in governance, financial management and service delivery. The West Coast District Municipality was named the best-run municipality in South Africa, recognised for 14 consecutive clean audits and flawless capital project spending."

Joubert congratulated a total of 19 local and district municipalities in the Western Cape for their commitment to sound financial management and clean governance.

Georlene Wolmarans (Speaker of Garden Route District Municipality, Provincial Executive Committee member of Salga and chair of the Western Cape Speakers Forum), Salga's National President, Bheki Stofile, George Mayor Jackie von Brandis and Salga's Provincial Chair, Donovan Joubert. Photo: Michelle Pienaar