EKURHULENI – Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality has sent five delegates to the 14th APAC Conference held at the International Convention Centre in Port Elizabeth from September 29 to October 3.
Many delegates from other African Countries and Municipal Public Accounts Committees from various Metro and Municipalities also attended.
Mr Terence Nombembe – Auditor-General of South Africa, Hon Ayanda Dlodlo – Deputy Minister of Public Service and Administration, Adv Thuli Madonsela – Public Protector, Mr Ken Smith – Chairperson, International Association of Public Participation (SA) and Hon Lechesa Tsenoli – Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs were some of the speakers addressing the delegates.
*Building strong leadership and management in the public sector.
*Recourse to non-compliance with laws and regulations governing the use of public resources.
*Eliminating corruption by prohibiting public servants who conduct business with the state.
*Public participation as a tool for oversight.
*Improving local government financial accountability where the main discussion points at this year’s conference.
The fact that many councillors are in charge of passing budgets and integrated development plans of municipalities which are complex documents sparked a heated debate when Mr Ken Smith said only people who had tertiary qualifications should be elected as public representatives.
He stated that political parties should not elect representatives if they are not qualified in the field where they are going to be deployed.
Mlindi Velaphi, from the Nelson Mandela Bay non-government organisation Lindanathi Institute added fuel to the fire by saying most councillors are only there for the pay … because they don’t comply with legislation about public participation and don’t care about the people who voted them in once they are elected.
It was also stated by the Hon Lechesa Tsenoli (Minister of Cooperative Government and Traditional Affairs) that ward committees are not public participation bodies, it is only a feedback tool between the ward councillor and his/hers ward committee.
Ward councillors should call for more public meetings in informing the public and the public should make use of petitions in highlighting their concerns and lack of service delivery. The Minister went further by saying that the public must attend these public meeting in ensuring that they get first hand information about what is happening in their wards and to measure the progress against what was budgeted for in the IDP.
Adv Thuli Madonsela of the Public Protector of South Africa had much to say about the recourse to non-compliance with laws and regulations governing the use of public resource and Mr Terence Nombembe – Auditor General concentrated on building strong leadership and management in the public sector.
