Thursday 11 June 2009 - My Maiden Speech

After the freezing junket at the opening of the legislature in Kliptown, Soweto, it is back to the more high tech and comfortable Gauteng Provincial Legislature building in the centre of Johannesburg. Today we debate the Premier's fiery State of the Province speech that she delivered in Kliptown.
I, together with a few of my colleagues, were given the opportunity to deliver our maiden speeches during the two day debate. Today it was Mike Moriarty, Myself and Bev Abrahams delivering our maiden speeches. On Friday, Khume Ramulifho and Gavin Lewis delivered their maiden speeches.
I was quite nervous, but once I got into my stride it was OK. I can't wait to give my next speech. For interest sake, here is my maiden speech.

SPEECH BY FRED NEL MPL DA GAUTENG SPOKESPERSON ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN REPLY TO THE PREMIER’S STATE OF THE PROVINCE SPEECH
GAUTENG PROVINCIAL LEGISLATURE
THURSDAY 11 JUNE 2009 AT 10:00
EMBARGO: DELIVERY
Honourable Speaker, having been a councillor until recently I have experienced firsthand the challenges faced by municipalities in our province. I was therefore thankful to hear that the Premier committed the Province to improve local government delivery and finances in her State of the Province speech.
Speaker, the Premier summed it up correctly when she indicated that “Fraud and corruption is eating into the moral fibre of our society.” This makes me hopeful that corruption and maladministration will finally be addressed with the necessary intent. I believe the Premier’s first test will be to address the allegations of wrongdoing at the Nokeng Tsa Taemane (Cullinan) municipality where political leaders used Council credit cards like their own piggy banks in contravention of the Municipal Finance Management Act. The way issues like these are dealt with will set the real tone of how corruption and maladministration is dealt with by this administration.
Speaker, the Premier’s promise to strengthen local government structures and ward committees and to empower councillors is commendable provided that action follows words this time around. However, the DA must warn against creating unrealistic expectations with regards the powers of individual ward councillors.
Ward councillors do not have the power or means to respond to the issues raised by the communities they serve, even though they would like to. Community issues relating to housing, roads, infrastructure, community safety and even speed bumps are addressed collectively at Council level. Leaving ward councillors at the mercy of the municipality to accommodate such issues in the IDP and within a reasonable time frame.
Ward councillors can only be empowered by providing them with ward-based budgets which they in conjunction with ward committees can allocate to respond quickly to issues raised by communities. This will also increase the relevance of ward committees who are discouraged due to their limited powers and influence.
Madam Speaker, community development workers (CDW’s) are currently a source of conflict in wards. They are appointed by province but are seen as interfering with the work of ward councillors. Their lack of accountability to local government causes further suspicion about their role among ward councillors. Whether it is fair to saddle municipalities with the additional financial and managerial burden of CDW’s initiated and owned by Province remains debatable. The concept of CDW’s requires a serious re-think, and this time ward councillors should be involved in such discussions.
Speaker the DA is delighted that Province is assisting local governments to become sustainable and viable entities. The collection of consumer debt has been a major problem for the past eight and a half years since the new system of local government was implemented. Municipalities lack the management capacity to ensure that consumer debt is collected and in many instances they make use of ineffective and expensive methods to try and recoup the debt owed by their debtors.
According to figures released by Treasury last week municipalities in Gauteng are collectively owed R 24,9 billion by consumer debtors. R 20 billion of this debt is older than 90 days which is confirmation of serious management deficiencies in collecting revenues. This impact negatively on cash flow which in turn impacts a municipality’s ability to deliver services.
The DA has calculated that if only a third of this debt could be recovered it would fund the increases that were proposed by municipalities in Gauteng for the 2009/10 financial year.
Speaker it is also the DA’s view that the MEC for Local Government and the Premier should carefully consider municipal budgets submitted for approval. Within the current economic climate municipal budgets that propose higher than inflation increases are immoral and borders on being criminal. The DA is understands that increases from suppliers have to be accommodated, but we can’t understand why municipalities would increase their margins on water and electricity at the same time.
Municipal budgets should be recession friendly and the DA calls on the MEC and Premier to consider the economic impact of the proposed increases by municipalities on the Province’s economy before rubber stamping them.
As a Province we need to remain competitive in national and international markets to attract investment in order to create jobs and promote economic growth in our Province. Municipal tariff structures play a crucial role in promoting this competitiveness. Municipal tariffs also contribute to inflation and increases input costs for industries in our province.
In conclusion, Madam Speaker, the DA welcomes the intention of the Premier to improve local government in our province and we will judge her by the outcomes resulting from her promises. The DA will play a constructive role in the process to improve local government in our Province and we look forward to starting with this process.
Thank You