The Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), Mr. Velenkosini Hlabisa, yesterday convened the COGTA MINMEC. Alongside Deputy Ministers Dr. Namane Dickson Masemola and Prince Zolile Burns-Ncamashe, MECs from across the country, as well as executives from SALGA, MDB, and MISA, gathered to strategize on enhancing local government functionality and effectiveness as well as strengthening the institution of traditional leadership.

Minister Hlabisa highlighted the key role of local government in community and national stability, noting that non-functional municipalities impede investment and growth. The Minister stated that COGTA’s goal is to ensure all municipalities fulfill their mandates and contribute to the country's development. He emphasized that the Department’s theme, “Every Municipality Must Work,” serves as a call for collaboration among all government spheres to ensure functional municipalities.
Minister Hlabisa reaffirmed COGTA’s commitment to supporting provinces and municipalities to, amongst others, reduce dysfunctional municipalities and ensure sustainable basic service delivery for all South Africans.

During the session, the following key points of progress were discussed:

1)    Standard Transfer Specification (STS) and Token Identifier (TID) Rollover Project Progress: 

The STS is a global standard used for electricity transfer, with over 12 million prepaid meters in South Africa. These meters need a software update before 24 November 2024, or they will stop dispensing electricity. MINMEC noted that 75.6% of meters have been updated to Key Revision Number 2 (KRN2), with 24.4% remaining. The Project Operations Center (POC), including DCoG, MISA, SALGA, National Treasury, and ESKOM, is committed to supporting municipalities with over 30,000 prepaid meters still on KRN1. Weekly progress reports are provided to SALGA and tracked on the SALGA dashboard for national monitoring.

2)    State of Local Government Report 2023:

MINMEC received a presentation on the State of Local Government Report 2023, which assesses the performance of all 257 municipalities in South Africa across key areas like putting people first, institutional capability, governance, financial management, local economic development, and service delivery. The 2023 report is currently being reviewed through political and Cabinet structures. Once finalized, it will be released to the public, detailing the municipalities that have shown improvement and those that continue to face challenges.

3)    Constitution of Traditional Councils:

A report was tabled on the progress of constituting Traditional Councils under the Traditional and Khoi-San Leadership Act, 2019 (TKLA). All tribal authorities and traditional councils must be legally constituted by 4 February 2025. This deadline, extended by the Minister’s intervention under Section 63(4)(c) of the TKLA, was communicated to all provinces. Traditional councils not constituted by this date will lack legal standing, affecting the formation of kingships, queenships, and principal traditional councils.

4)    Customary Initiation Act Regulations:

The Customary Initiation Act, 2021 (CIA) took effect on 1 September 2021. Under Section 35 of the Act, the Minister is authorized to issue regulations via a government gazette. The Department of Traditional Affairs (DTA) reviewed the CIA to determine which clauses required regulations. Input from the National Initiation Oversight Committee (NIOC) and the Provincial Initiation Coordinating Committees (PICCs) helped shape these draft regulations, which primarily address procedural and administrative aspects of NIOC and PICCs’ operations. MINMEC provided inputs to the draft Customary Initiation Act Regulations; noted the consultations and other administrative processes undertaken on the draft Regulations, statutory consultations to be undertaken and subsequent processes.

5)    Municipal ward delimitation process and determination of the number of Cllrs per municipality proposed formulae:

MINMEC received an update on the programme, plans and process for the forthcoming 2024/2025 municipal ward delimitation process as well as the determination of the number of Cllrs per municipality proposed formulae. MINMEC noted that during the years 2024 and 2025 the MDB will be embarking on the delimitation of wards for the 2026 Local Government Elections (LGE). MINMEC also noted the proposed formulae for the upcoming local government elections.

6)    MINMEC also received a presentation on the following:

• A proposal to support the SALGA Women’s Commission in having Multi Party Women Commissions established as section 79 committees in all municipal Councils.
• Key Developments Pertaining to the Electricity Regulation Amendment Bill.

MINMEC concluded with a commitment to do more in ensuring that municipalities work for the development of all South African communities.

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