GARDEN ROUTE DISTRICT NEWS - Corruption was the topic of discussion at a Good Governance Summit, collaboratively hosted by the Garden Route District Municipality and the South African Local Government Association (Salga).

The two-day conference was held last Thursday and Friday at Oubaai near Herold's Bay, and was attended by councillors and officials of all seven municipalities in the Garden Route District. 

Topics of discussion included state capture, the understanding of the impact of corruption and the reduction of red tape in local government.

Guest speaker Dumisani Hlophe, a specialist in governance at Unisa, touched on the governance of state capture in his keynote address. Garden Route Municipal Manager Monde Stratu convened the proceedings. "We want to share some perspectives on our understanding of the impact of this disease or the cancer of corruption our country is facing," said Monde. "We want to understand what exactly we are dealing with here. And to understand this from a particular perspective. We all have stories to tell of our own experiences in terms of corruption."

Monde introduced Commissioner Shadrack Sibiya from Johannesburg, who delivered a presentation on the impact of corruption on service delivery in local government. Sharing his experience on the matter, Sibiya said service delivery takes a serious knock under a corrupt government, and the safety of the police is compromised. "Watch those closely who talk about corruption all the time. We talk one thing, but we do another," said Sibiya.

According to Sibiya, the City of Johannesburg has adopted a 10-point plan and declared war on corruption. Group Forensic Investigation Services (GFIS) was established in 2016 as an independent department to fight crimes against the city. Since its establishment the GFIS received a total of 5 597 cases (up to 31 March 2019), with a potential value of over R33-billion.

ANC Councillor Putco Mapitiza

From the floor
Attendants had an opportunity to share their thoughts. ANC Councillor Putco Mapitiza said when people toyi-toyi, they don't go to the provincial legislature or national assembly, they go to their municipality. He said the issues that they raise are not necessarily a competence of the municipality, but regardless, people see it all as one government. He touched on the issues of water shortage in places such as Kannaland and the need for help.

District Mayor Memory Booysen answered that the district municipality took a resolution to have water accreditation almost a year ago, but they have not yet received it and thus can't raise money to help in this regard. "We want to do it. The world must listen. The Garden Route wants to help all seven municipalities in our district," said Booysen.

PBI Councillor Virgill Gericke said not enough is done to enable economical transformation. "Transformation is unfortunately expensive, and we are falling in this category of government or leaders that have to make this transformation project work. Whether we are trying to be populist or not, we have to address the inequalities." He posed the question: "What is the way forward to get the masses out of poverty?"

Booysen said the red tape of bureaucracy drives investors and businessmen overseas. He said the district municipality currently has an investment of R1-billion from international companies on their table. "But guess what? All these companies originate from South Africa! Because of red tape and bureaucracy they are operating from overseas. These people work in Germany, the United States, Indonesia... They employ South Africans, wherever they are. Let's bring them back home," said Booysen.

Councillor Vernon Stuurman  from the Sarah Baartman District Municipality in the Eastern Cape, challenged Garden Route District Mayor Memory Booysen on investments, asking what this municipality - as the single biggest investor - is going to do over the next ten years?

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