The Deputy Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), Dr. Namane Dickson Masemola will undertake Ministerial Support and Interventions engagements with priority districts in the Free State.

Over the two days, the Deputy Minister will be accompanied by the Free State MEC for CoGTA, Mr. Teboho Mokoena. Participants in these crucial sessions will include District and Local Mayors, Speakers, Members of Mayoral Committees (MMCs), Chief Whips, and senior government officials.

These engagements are strategically designed to facilitate a platform for a joint programme of action and implementation plan that will be monitored continuously to ensure that, “Every Municipality works” to change material conditions of communities.

Within the context of the recent Auditor General’s report on Municipal Finances, a number of municipalities performed poorly. To this effect, deliberations will focus on the current state of the two district municipalities to be visited – Thabo Mofutsanyana and Lejweleputswa Districts in respect of the following areas.

Governance: Enhancing accountability and ensuring sound leadership within municipalities.

Service delivery: Addressing the challenges that hinder the provision of essential services such as water, electricity, and waste management.

Infrastructure: Overcoming infrastructural shortcomings, particularly in rural and traditional areas.

Financial management: Tackling issues related to poor financial controls and ensuring municipalities are fiscally sound.

Systemic challenges: The need to review the 1998 White Paper on Local Government, with particular attention to issues such as the amalgamation of municipalities.

These engagements are geared to provide municipalities with a platform to raise their challenges, especially those inhibiting them from delivering on their mandate. At the end of both meetings, a programme of action will be developed and then its implementation monitored on an ongoing basis.
Additionally, the engagements aim to ensure that municipalities are set on a path to improvement and better provision of services to communities.

Day 1:
Date: Thursday, 19 September 2024
Time: 09h00
Venue: Bluegum Bosch Multipurpose Centre, Qwaqwa

Day 2:
Date: Friday, 20 September 2024
Time: 09h00
Venue: Lejweleputswa District Municipality Council Chambers

To RSVP, please liaise with:
Mamogolo Moshugi 
Cell: 072 928 6068 
Thabo Mofutsanyana District 

Thabo Dlamini 
Cell: 074 772 3785 
Lejweleputswa District.

For media enquiries, kindly contact:
Legadima Leso
Cell: 066 479 9904