How to Run a Successful Municipality

Many municipalities in South Africa face substantial monetary challenges, rendering them unable to fulfil their obligation of delivering important companies to their communities. A prevailing tradition of non-payment additional jeopardises the long-term viability of quite a few councils. However there are beacons of sunshine and councils which might be nicely run that would function examples to those which might be struggling and are in peril of collapsing. Two councils have been singled out by Rankings Africa as essentially the most financially sustainable municipalities within the nation. In its newest Municipal Monetary Stability Index Midvaal and Saldanha Bay got here out as the 2 best-run municipalities in South Africa. The DA’s Govt Mayor of Saldanha Bay, André Truter informed BizNews what his secrets and techniques for achievement have been and stated he was greater than prepared to share finest practices with ANC-run municipalities. On the core lies zero tolerance of corruption and theft, and the appointment of certified people. – Linda van Tilburg

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Extracts from the interview under

Too many political options to sensible monetary and operational issues

I feel the second that you simply begin chasing a political agenda, you get into bother and I feel in South Africa notably, there’s a lack of accountability. I get fired because the mayor of Durban and two weeks later I’m sworn in as an MP in Parliament. I imply that simply can’t be. It additionally turns into generational then as a result of one council does badly, and the following one does very badly. So, by the point the third one comes, it’s a snowball impact. It additionally units off a tradition in your administration. Administration is so necessary and as soon as that tradition of unhealthy governance is in your organisation, it’s extraordinarily onerous to show that round. It’s not only a resolution. It takes a era to set a tradition to say, choose up your papers while you throw them on the bottom. I grew up with the saying ‘Zip it in a Zibi blik’ and to this present day, I can’t get it proper to throw a paper on the bottom. So, it takes a era to vary and to get a superb behavior in. It takes double as lengthy to get a nasty behavior out after which a superb behavior. As a lot as we’re a beacon of hope, I hope that individuals learn that report very, very nicely as a result of they use big alarm bells in that report.

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98% Fee fee however it’s a two-way relationship

I feel we’re very blessed that we’ve received a tradition on the ‘Weskus.’ We’ve received lovely individuals they usually’ve received a tradition of accountability, they’ve received a tradition of fee. In Covid, I used to be very emotional after I noticed a really poor, outdated girl standing at our workplaces and saying, Are you able to please open this? We need to pay. Now we have solely a bit bit of cash. and if we’re going to spend this factor, we’re going to fall behind. I used to be blown away by this wonderful tradition. However it’s also a two-way factor. You don’t thoughts paying at a restaurant the place you’re getting actually good meals. So it’s onerous to pay for one thing that you simply don’t have and I feel that’s what makes it troublesome for a lot of communities that refuse to pay as a result of they’re getting no companies. If you happen to have a look at our assortment fee, it was 98% final 12 months. It’s a bit bit decrease this 12 months. however after I say no 1% or so. However they stated the a direct correlation between that and our service supply index as a result of our service supply index is 96 to 98%. So do you perceive what I’m saying as the 2 communicate to one another? Good service, good fee. Individuals can’t pay for companies that they don’t obtain. We’re removed from good. A municipal supervisor and I have been sitting outdoors the door ready for the interview and we have been having a really sturdy dialog about how we are able to do higher, and the way can we be extra accountable as a result of one should additionally watch out to not take a brief follow attempt to measure how tall you’re. That may additionally get you into bother. 

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DA’s handbook on the best way to run and handle a council

If you happen to have a look at all of the municipalities, most which might be well-performing are DA and that’s not a political assertion as a result of it’s a administration model. We’ve received a governance unit that has even given us a handbook as to the best way to run they usually preserve us accountable, over and above our personal methods. So, it’s form of a life-style. I might say planning is exceptionally necessary. I feel steadiness is completely very important. It’s worthwhile to take care of the poor individuals, however there have to be a wholesome steadiness and I feel consistency is so necessary, to do the identical factor 12 months in, 12 months out. 

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Classes for ANC on the best way to run a council, we’re ready to assist

It’s easy. Corruption: Nil, Steal: Nil and appoint well-qualified individuals. 

I had this dialog with Minister Skosazana Dlamini-Zuma, she phoned me whereas I used to be on the native authorities summit as a result of I stated it there to the President. I stated, you include a District Improvement Mannequin which is one thing they need to implement on the native and C-municipalities, district municipalities and I had the municipal supervisor there with me and I had a director there with me, and I stated, sir while you made this plan; did you come and seek the advice of with our administration as a result of they rated at that stage, quantity two in South Africa behind Midvaal and primary within the Western Cape and naturally, it was a rhetorical query. He didn’t. So I stated, How are you going to give you a product and provides it to us that you simply examined in Mafeking, which is bankrupt, and also you’re telling me to vary it. It simply doesn’t make sense. Why don’t you are taking what we’ve got, copy-paste, implement and adapt it to your municipality and implement? I stated to Minister Dlamini-Zuma as a result of she phoned me that night time and she or he spoke to me very properly. I stated, in fact, we’ll assist an ANC or some other municipality for that matter as a result of we’re not serving to a municipality, we assist individuals, and that’s in the end who we serve and to whom we’re accountable. So in case you are asking me, will we assist one other municipality? We do it on a regular basis. 

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