Cosatu backs Coalition Bill to improve municipal stability – SABC News – Breaking news, special reports, world, business, sport coverage of all South African current events. Africa's news leader.
Labour federation Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) says the latest gazetted explanatory note on the Local Government Municipal Structures Amendment Bill, also known as the “Coalition Bill”, will go a long way to address gaps in municipal oversight. This as the country prepares for the November 4 local government elections.
The South African Local Government Association has welcomed Cabinet’s decision to send the Municipal Structures Amendment Bill to Parliament, saying legislation is urgently needed to govern the growing number of coalition-led municipalities. https://t.co/9DhUHazyui pic.twitter.com/V7coQh4ZpW
The Bill aims to regulate coalition governments, which have caused unstable leadership at municipalities. It also wants to curb the appointment of municipal office bearers who do not have the necessary experience, skills or qualifications.
One of the biggest challenges is how hung municipalities, which no majority rule, remain stable.
Cosatu’s National Spokesperson, Matthew Parks, says stability is important for service delivery.
“If a majority party cannot be achieved and a stable coalition government cannot be put in place, we can resort to an executive committee system. However, that is expensive and unlikely to assist matters. Under this system, all political parties above a certain threshold, for example 10%, would be automatically included in the mayoral committee. The largest party would be the mayor, while the second-largest party would be the speaker,” says Parks
Meanwhile, the Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Committee will be seized with the Bill, on Tuesday, including the qualifications of proposed councilors.
Parks says qualifications are important for complex municipal issues.
“It is also critical that we have a discussion as a country about what the proper qualifications and qualities should be for councillors to be elected to municipalities. Municipalities often deal with very complicated issues, including passing budgets and bylaws, supporting economic development, and maintaining infrastructure. Councillors need to have some level of schooling or tertiary qualifications to properly understand and deal with these responsibilities,” says Parks.
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