MEC Mashilo welcomes the deployment of technical experts to support distressed municipalities in Mpumalanga

MEC for Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) in Mpumalanga, Mr Speed Mashilo, has commended the National Department of COGTA for the deployment of technical experts to distressed municipalities.

The deployment of the experts, to form District Technical Support teams, was announced by the Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize.

A total of seven experts, amongst them five engineers and two town planners have been deployed to assist seven municipalities in Mpumalanga.

These municipalities are amongst the 81 distressed municipalities in the country. The municipalities in Mpumalanga are Dr Pixley ka Isaka Seme, Msukaligwa, Lekwa, Thaba Chweu, Govan Mbeki and Emalahleni.

Mr Mashilo says the deployment of the engineers and town planners will strengthen the capacity of the municipalities to deal with service delivery challenges.

“Section 154 of the Constitution stipulates that national and provincial government must support and strengthen the capacity of municipalities to manage their own affairs, exercise their powers and perform their functions. We welcome the deployment of these technical experts as it gives rise to the Constitutional mandate. We are happy that the experts will provide the much needed intervention to deal with the sewer spillages and blockages especially in Govan Mbeki and Lekwa Local municipalities,” Mr Mashilo explained.

The duration of the deployment is three years. Mr Mashilo expressed hope that by the end of the deployment period in 2021, the municipalities would have resolved the service delivery challenges and that these municipalities would have time to build the required technical capacity.