MEC for local government Qedani Mahlangu

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Review looks at municipalities' performances Significant progress has been made in improving the lives of Gauteng's citizens, according to a performance review of five years of local governments. February 21, 2006 By Lucky Sindane A REPORT on the progress the local government has made over the past five years has been released by the Gauteng MEC for local government, Qedani Mahlangu. The performance review is a comprehensive assessment based on detailed empirical research on how Gauteng's local governments have fared in the realisation of the government's vision during their first five years in office. "Government put in place a vision of municipal structures that would be both democratic and developmental, and which would aim to fulfil local government's constitutional mandate to create and sustain humane, equitable and viable human settlements," Mahlangu said. Speaking on service delivery and infrastructure development, she said significant progress had been made in expanding access to basic services in the province. In 2000 the municipalities were faced with huge challenges regarding the provision of basic services and developing infrastructure. According to the report, between July 2001 and June 2005 there have been 181 827 new water connections, 80 552 new sanitation connections and 80 238 new legal electricity connections in Gauteng. On the issue of local economic development, he said that municipalities were the major role players in local economic development, through the employment of local people, procurement of goods and services, development of infrastructure and provision of services. The performance review has identified several challenges, which local governments will face over the next five years. They include: The legacy of apartheid planning - fragmented spatial environment; Basic services and infrastructure backlogs; Stagnant and declining economies (for example the mining sector); Population growth and in-migration; The high rate of unemployment and poverty; The HIV and Aids pandemic; Difficulties of preparing Integrated Development Plans; The amalgamation and transformation of local government structures; and Municipal debt and revenue management. Permission to use web site material Publishers may use material from this site free of charge, as long as: Credit is given to either the "City of Johannesburg website (www.joburg.org.za)" or to "Johannesburg News Agency (www.joburg.org.za)"; If the article is used online, a link is provided to the original article on this website; The name of the article's author is acknowledged; The webmaster is informed of how and where the material is used (fill in this brief online form). Johannesburg News Agency is operated by BIG Media at 011-484-1400 Print this Page E-mail this article to a friend Help using Joburg.org.za