Councillors must be picked on merit

South African Local Government Association’s (SALGA) slogan is: “Local government – working for you and putting people first”.

Undoubtedly, politics in South Africa keeps changing, but the question should be asked; is local government changing for the better?

I fear not, it is a lie, a myth to think local government is getting better and really working.

There is no doubt, the majority of municipalities in South Africa are failing to provide basic services – they don’t even give attention to simple service, like filling potholes.

I am of the view that local government in South Africa is still far off from reality.

Ratepayers pay municipal rates but municipalities fail to provide basic services.

For instance, at Umdoni municipality on the KZN south coast, service delivery is almost non-existent, or unheard of, in Umzinto.

You grouse and shout, but it all falls on deaf ears – no one listens and we are supposed to be living in times of democracy.

We have ward councillors, a few of them are showing signs of working for the wards they represent, while others appear not to understand the workings of local government. In other words, it can be said that they are simply passengers on council, so to speak.

There is no meaningful participation from them, incompetence rules.

On the whole, it must be said that deployment of political cadres to municipalities is also cause of problems and the reason municipalities are not making headway – they are bogged down with politics.

Change is absolutely necessary to bring about a proper democratic order, by placing councillors and officials on merit, as this will bring confidence into the workings of their council, in order to make local government work and bring it closer to the people.

For now, “putting people first” is out of the question – it is not happening. ISMAIL M MOOLLA uMzinto