Thembi Nkadimeng addresses Parliament on local government

Polokwane Executive Mayor Thembi Nkadimeng reckons that municipalities are under extreme cash flow constraints, with over 123 municipalities with less than 80% collection levels and a further 75 municipalities with less than 60% collection levels. “The aggregate municipal consumer debts amount to R158,9 billion of which not all are realistically collectable,” Nkadimeng said when she addressed the joint sitting of the National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces in Parliament in Cape Town last Wednesday in her capacity as Deputy Chairperson of the South African Local Government Association (Salga).
The theme of Nkadimeng’s address was ‘A local government response to the State of the Nation Address’.
Nkadimeng said that she spoke on behalf of the fraternity of local government, very cognisant of the increased expectations by both local communities and the global development community of the critical role of the local arm of state in making a meaningful impact on the advancement of development of the country’s people. “In an attempt to respond to the President as organised local government, we must start by acknowledging the massive progress local government has made over the last 18 years of its democratic life, including the provision of basic services to so many more of our people, the rapid development and quality of our infrastructure, the increased mobility, investments in social amenities and massive progress in financial management and institutional resilience,” Nkadimeng said.
“Bold measures are needed to curb these debts and to ensure that municipalities collect and better manage their customers and national interventions are initiated to ensure that this growing debt situation does not undermine the solvency of local government. These bold measures must include serious consideration to introduce legislation that will allow the writing off of bad, uncollectable debt against incentives such as the installation of prepaid meters to prevent recurrences,” Nkadimeng added.
“We have a responsibility to ensure a sense of urgency in building the capacity of our municipalities such that they are better placed to find sustainable ways to meet the needs of their communities and improve the quality of their lives.”
“With regard to the fight against corruption, as leaders in local government, we are pledging our unreserved support to root out this evil within our municipalities. Much is to be done to inform member municipalities about the imperative of accountability and the inescapable consequences in local government, and to enable them to enforce the implementation of accountability legislation, regulation and measures. We remain committed to institute and deepen consequence and accountability in the sector with a view to strengthen the fight against maladministration and corruption,” Nkadimeng also said.

Story: BARRY VILJOEN
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