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KZN MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) Sipho Hlomuka today led a webinar on government’s response to Covid-19 with a particular reference to the province’s municipalities. The panellists also included provincial Salga chairperson Cllr Nonhle Mkhulusi and Cogta’s in-house local government experts. The session was facilitated by Ms B. Mgutshini who is the Deputy Director-General for Development and Planning.

“Deliberating on topical issues within the sphere of local government is what we do at Cogta as part of policy-making and responsive service delivery but deliberating on such issues in a webinar is a reflection upon the new normal. We are now living in a Covid-19 world and we have had to adapt to the new circumstances,” said Hlomuka.

The panellists made presentations on a range of municipal issues they have had to respond to in connection with Covid-19 in their fields of expertise. Cllr Mkhulisi talked about the role of councillors in a Covid-19 world that has been characterised by restrictions on physical engagements but also by an undiminished demand for the delivery of basic services by municipalities.

Cogta’s local government expert Sicelo Duma who is currently serving as administrator at Msunduzi drew on his experience in ensuring that municipalities improve oversight of their functions in a Covid-19 world as councillors work in a challenging environment where limits on physical meetings and interactions are imposed by the authorities.

The second local government expert from Cogta, Joey Krishnan, referred to her expertise in municipal finance to talk about the financial impact of Covid-19 on municipalities and the need to enhance revenue collection at a time when the government-imposed restrictions on economic activity and freedom of movement have resulted in major revenue shortfalls.

Hlomuka summarised government’s efforts in adjusting public sector’s operations to the new normal by limiting physical meetings and sensitising communities to the implications of the declaration of state of disaster, which included the national lockdown from 27 March. He also reflected on the work of the Provincial Covid-19 Command Council in the fight against Covid-19.

Hlomuka also emphasised Cogta’s efforts in formulating plans to support the recovery of local government post-lockdown, which is based on five pillars, namely, governance, finance, basic service delivery, performance management and the newly launched District Development Model. His department has engaged with municipalities to develop their own Post-Lockdown Recovery Plans.

The webinar is archived on YouTube and can viewed on this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bE6HqYkdmuw

KZN MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) Sipho Hlomuka has noted the Auditor-General’s 2018/2019 audit outcomes of the province’s municipalities which show a slight overall improvement but no cause for celebration. The municipal audit outcomes were released by the Auditor-General’s office today.

KZN’s municipalities have maintained one clean audit opinion while 32 municipalities received an unqualified audit opinion, 18 municipalities received a qualified audit opinion, one municipality received an adverse opinion and two municipalities received a disclaimer of opinions.

Overall there have been eight improvements against seven regressions in KZN with all other municipalities maintaining the status quo. The 2018/2019 audit outcomes thus indicate that there is much room for improvement and that ensuring accountability by municipal leadership is key in this regard.

In a special meeting convened by Hlomuka last month with the province’s mayors, the implementation of consequence management measures took centre stage as the sphere of local government in KZN continues to suffer from the outbreak of Covid-19 which has put pressure on already depleted resources available to municipalities.

Hlomuka has emphasised his department’s commitment to supporting municipalities as they seek to improve their audit outcomes. A raft of measures has been implemented by the department in conjunction with the Provincial Treasury to monitor the implementation of audit report plans. This includes the appointment of financial experts to assist municipalities to improve their audit outcomes. This intervention will ensure that audit improvement strategies are implemented and more so the transfer of skills also takes place in the management of municipal finances.

Hlomuka will also call an urgent meeting with the province’s mayors and senior municipal officials to comprehensively deal with the latest audit outcomes. KZN’s poorly performing municipalities will be expected to present realistic audit improvement plans with particular reference to areas of under-performance.

Amakhosi in the province of KZN have applauded governments efforts to curb the spread of the Corona Virus and have urged communities to continue to abide by the regulations and measures put in place by the government.

This morning the KZN MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) Sipho Hlomuka this morning met with the Executive Committee of the Provincial House whose members he updated on government’s ongoing efforts to limit the spread of Covid-19. In his address, Hlomuka thanked amakhosi for the important role they play in reinforcing government’s message to communities about social distancing, wearing of masks and washing of hands with soap and water.

KZN MEC for Arts, Culture, Sports and Recreation Hlengiwe Mavimbela who also attended the meeting emphasised the importance of indigenous knowledge systems in the government’s fight to prevent the spread of the virus.

The Chair of the Provincial House, Inkosi Chiliza, emphasised the House’s commitment to the fights against the spread of the virus. Inkosi Chiliza also underscored the importance of preserving indigenous knowledge

Self-sustenance and food security came into sharp focus this morning as KZN MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) Sipho Hlomuka today officially launched the One Home One Garden programme in the Harry Gwala District.

This programme which is convened through the province-wide Operation Sukuma Sakhe initiative is aimed at improving food security in communities through the planting of gardens in each house in the district.

MEC Hlomuka visited the uMzimkhulu local municipality where he visited the household of Mbeko David Mhlongo (60), a pensioner, to assist him in planting his garden.

Hlomuka explained that the objective of the programme is to create self-sustenance in our communities. “In launching this programme, we are aiming for our communities to practice planting and tending gardens within their own homes. This helps in ensuring that we rely less on food bought from shops and more on our own homegrown vegetables,” said Hlomuka.

The second house that was visited by Hlomuka was that of 40-year-old Petros Skhumbuzo Jama who is unemployed but took up small-scale farming as an opportunity to feed himself and his family.

The launch of this programme, which comes with additional support from the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, includes ploughing materials and seeds.

Jama believes that the support he has received through this programme has empowered him to be better able to farm in his small garden.

During the visit, Hlomuka was accompanied by Cllr Zamo Nxumalo – the Mayor of the Harry Gwala District, Inkosi Chiliza – the Chairperson of KZN Provincial House of Traditional Leaders and Cllr Mpabanga – the uMzimkhulu Mayor.

Following the visit to the households, Hlomuka visited the Rietvlei Hospital where he joined the Provincial Legislature-led programme aimed at monitoring health institutions. During his visit there, Hlomuka encouraged nurses and doctors to continue with the good work they are doing in providing care to our communities during a time when the province and country are fighting against the spread of the coronavirus.

The KwaZulu-Natal Provincial House of Traditional Leaders through its Chairperson Inkosi PhathisizweChiliza, is calling upon all men in the province to be protectors of women and children amidst the rise of Gender Based Violence (GBV) throughout the country.

The call by Inkosi Chiliza comes after several incidents of gender based violence have left the country reelingand shocked. A number of women and children have in the past few weeks fallen victim to violence directed towards them. “What has taken place in the past few weeks has been shameful and beneath upstanding and righteous men. We call on all men in the province to go back to basics by becoming the natural protectors of women and children instead of being their tormentors”he said.

Inkosi Chiliza believes that traditional leaders have a vital role to play in the fight against the scourge of violence directed at women and children as many men in the province reside in traditional authorities. “As traditional leaders we need to do more in sounding the call for men to be the protectors of women and children. We also need to intensify our efforts in educating men about the role they must play in our communities,” hesaid.

Moreover, Inkosi Chiliza is urging communities living under traditional authorities to continue adhering to Covid-19 regulations as government continues with efforts to fight the pandemic. We have noticed that since the announcement of Lockdown Level 3, some in our communities have tended to show disregard for the regulations in place. “We therefore plead with communities to continue adhering to the regulations that are meant to protect them from the harmful virus,” said Chiliza.

KZN MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) Sipho Hlomuka has condemned the brutal murder of a sitting councillor in the eThekwini metro which took place last night in uMlazi.

Reports received by the department indicate that Cllr Bheki Phungula, who is eThekwini Ward 84 councillor, was brutally killed in his home in uMlazi last night by unknown assailants. This heinous act comes at a time when the province and country are facing a medical emergency which requires all public representatives, including councillors, to join in the fight to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

“The loss of yet another foot soldier leaves a void in the sphere of local government in our province. An attack on councillors by forces that are hell-bent on undermining the democratic institution of local government within our province will never be tolerated. We therefore call upon the law enforcement agencies to leave no stone unturned in their efforts to find the perpetrators of this cowardly act so that they can face the full might of the law,” said Hlomuka.

Hlomuka has expressed condolences to Phungula’s family and his colleagues in the eThekwini metro. Hlomuka has also called upon community members to come forward with any information they may have that could lead to the arrest and prosecution of those responsible.

Hlomuka will be visiting the Phungula household this afternoon at 14:00 to pay his respects.

KZN MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) Sipho Hlomuka has urged the province’s 54 municipalities during the department’s virtual Munimec meeting to plan for a post-lockdown recovery in their respective jurisdictions to ensure that the lives of residents and business return to normalcy as soon as possible once the current restrictions have been lifted.

“Before we look to the future, we must first acknowledge that as local government stakeholders we have also achieved, in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, that our municipalities have continued to function and that basic services have been delivered to our communities whose welfare depends on the regular provision of water, electricity, refuse removal and the like,” said Hlomuka.

At the same time, Hlomuka acknowledged that keeping the water taps and electricity meters running the lockdown did not come without a hefty price. The general economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has been felt by our municipalities with a resultant non-payment factor given the financial distress felt by communities and businesses. The revenue impact on municipalities has been significant.

Nowhere else is this more evident than in the province’s economic hubs namely eThekwini, Msunduzi and City of Mhlathuze where revenue collection through services such water, electricity, and rates are under pressure.

“In order to ensure uninterrupted supply of water in particular and electricity going forward, our municipalities need to revive their revenue collection and to do that, they need to do everything in their power to stimulate their local economies for the benefit of residents and businesses. To achieve this, we need far-reaching and wide-ranging plans a post-Covid-19 era of socio-economic recovery” said Hlomuka.

Today’s virtual Munimec meeting was designed to reflect upon the latest developments and emerging key policy matters impacting on governance and effective service delivery in KZN’s municipalities as the province continues to fight the spread of Covid-19 in its communities and as it begins to look beyond the current measures towards a Covid-19-free future in the sphere of local government.

“Our state of readiness for the Covid-19 free province must include well-functioning municipalities with a strong political and administrative leadership, characterised by stability. This implies functional councils and oversight structures, a consistent spending of capital budgets with no monies returned to the national fiscus, clean audits and sound financial management of our public funds,” said Hlomuka.

Today’s Munimec agenda covered a wide variety of topical issues, from the Local Government Post-Lockdown Recovery Plan to policy items, such as job creation through EPWP, to long-term planning issues, such as the Provincial Master Plan. Munimec’s focus was also be on practical initiatives such as Action plans towards clean audits or the newly launched District Development Model.

KZN MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) Sipho Hlomuka today officially launched a R10-million project that will seek to revitalise the Shayamoya Township in the Greater Kokstad local municipality. Under this project 70 young people have been hired through the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) to rebuild access roads across the township which is home to 30 000 people.

This investment by the department is part of efforts to assist municipalities in their recovery following the economic slowdown caused by the measures aimed at stopping the spread of the novel coronavirus, which have placed severe constraints on their revenue collection.

“As a department, we are committed to investing in the revitalisation of our townships and small towns through our Small Town Rehabilitation Programme. This investment into the municipality ensures that infrastructure is built and maintained, which has the potential of attracting further investments,” said Hlomuka.

Through this project, the municipality is constructing pavement layers, kerbs, channels for storm-water drainage, new storm-water drainage and relocation of water mains. In the implementation of this project labour-intensive methods are being utilised.

In his address during the launch Hlomuka urged the workforce to utilise this opportunity as a stepping stone to further develop themselves in their respective fields.

According to the Greater Kokstad Mayor Cllr Mtolo, the municipality has hired local graduates who specialise in fields, such as engineering, who will be taking part in the revitalisation of the Shayamoya Township

KZN MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) Sipho Hlomuka has sent condolences to two families in Nquthu where a 3-year-old and a 44-year-old died this morning of smoke inhalation following the prolonged inhalation of smoke from a traditional heater (imbawula) fuelled by charcoal.

As a result of these incidents, which took place in Ward 14, four people are receiving medical attention at a local hospital. Reports received by the department indicate that the two neighbouring houses kept their traditional heaters overnight to keep warm. Hlomuka has wished those who are getting medical attention a speedy recovery.

Hlomuka has also called upon residents across the province to exercise great caution when using traditional heaters or generators to stay warm during this cold winter. Earlier in the week, the South African Weather Service issued a warning about cold temperatures which are expected to continue through the week.

“It is important that we all practise caution whenever we use izimbawula or generators. The tragic incident in Nquthu is regrettable. We do not want to see unnecessary loss of life in our province as a result of smoke inhalation, particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic which is already putting pressure on our health facilities,” said Hlomuka.

Hlomuka has dispatched disaster management teams to provide relevant support to the affected families.