By Phenyo Selinda
Cape Town – Newly appointed Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) Minister and IFP Leader Velenkosini Hlabisa has pledged that the seventh administration is committed to turning around dysfunctional municipalities, including the eThekwini Metro.
In his Budget Vote Speech in Parliament on Tuesday, Hlabisa acknowledged the significant challenges faced by local municipalities. He emphasized that the department will continue to enforce compliance with Municipal Support and Intervention Plans (MSIPs) and implement financial recovery plans in distressed municipalities.
Municipalities in Distress
Hlabisa highlighted the severe financial and governance distress in several municipalities, which has negatively impacted service delivery. “Some have struggled to pay salaries over the past three to six months. Some have debts that seem insurmountable as well as prolonged and expensive litigation,” he explained.
The municipalities identified for prioritised intervention include Ditsobotla in the North West, Kopanong and Mafube in the Free State, Emfuleni in Gauteng, and Thabazimbi in Limpopo. Hlabisa also pointed out the governance, institutional, and service delivery issues faced by the eThekwini Metro, which is receiving support from both the national government and KwaZulu-Natal CoGTA.
“It is important to note that this prioritisation does not imply that other municipalities are not facing similar challenges. Our commitment remains to support all municipalities that are experiencing difficulties,” he added.
Budget Allocation
The Cooperative Governance budget stands at R395.7 billion, with 95.9% (R379.61 billion) allocated for transfer to municipalities and affiliated entities. This budget will primarily fund the local government equitable share, disaster relief grant, and the municipal infrastructure grant.
The Municipal Infrastructure Support Agent (MISA) will continue to assist the 22 distressed municipalities needing infrastructure investments to deliver essential municipal services. Hlabisa acknowledged the struggle to mobilise resources due to borrowing limitations and reduced national government transfers amid fiscal constraints.
Collective Effort for Success
Hlabisa believes that the government’s success depends on the collective efforts of Parliament, departments, municipalities, traditional leaders, civil society, and every citizen. He emphasised the need to eliminate fragmentation in the planning, budgeting, implementation, and monitoring of government programs by the end of the seventh administration’s term.
“We cannot sit on the sidelines whilst the taxpayers’ money is not used as planned and infrastructure that could benefit our communities remains a dream,” he said.
Support for Traditional Leadership
Hlabisa also expressed strong support for traditional leadership, including the Khoi-San community. He stressed the importance of improving support for institutions of traditional and Khoi-San leadership, stating, “Time for lamenting is over; we must join hands to make an impact by turning dysfunctional municipalities around and improving support for institutions of traditional and Khoi-San leadership.”
The Traditional Affairs department has been allocated R187.3 million, a reduction of R5.8 million from the previous year. The institution of traditional and Khoi-San leadership has raised several issues with the government, including uneven support and resources, integration challenges with municipal governance frameworks, and the need for formal recognition of Khoi-San leaders.
During the current financial year, the department will continue to support the Commission on Khoi-San Matters (CKSM) to ensure it completes its work and submits recommendations. The CKSM, established to handle applications for the recognition of Khoi-San communities and leaders, has received 124 applications and conducted 62 Applicant Member Investigations (AMIs) to ensure application completeness.
Commitment to Service Delivery
Hlabisa concluded his speech with a reminder that the 2026 Local Government Elections are approaching. “Let me remind this August House that the 2026 Local Government Elections are around the corner and the present term of local government comes to an end. We owe it to our communities to better their lives through effective and impactful service delivery,” he said.
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