Cogta highlights role of local government
IN a bid to make local government work better for KZN communities, Cogta MEC Sipho Hlomuka on Tuesday engaged with mayors, speakers and exco members from municipalities under the King Cetshwayo, uMkhanyakude and Zululand districts.
Amakhosi, Izinduna and councillors from these districts also attended the meeting, which was the third leg of Cogta's (Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs) provincial tour.
Key among the issues discussed was the roll-out of a councillor orientation programme aimed at equipping and capacitating new councillors for the role with which they have been entrusted.
This is important since 80% of the councillors elected in the province are serving for the very first time.
‘It is impossible to talk about the responsibility entrusted on councillors without giving them guidelines on how they are expected to conduct themselves,' said Hlomuka
Speaking to members of the media outside Empangeni’s town hall, Hlomuka said this engagement served as a taste of things to come as Cogta is a provincial government department that supports the sphere of local government and exercises general oversight over KZN’s municipalities.
‘The meeting gave newly-elected councillors an overview of the extent of our support as a provincial government department, and the scope of our oversight and regular monitoring of municipal performance in this province,' said Hlomuka.
'The meeting also demonstrated our approach to inter-governmental relations, which is one of close co-operation and unity of purpose behind a simple goal: to make local government work better for the people of this province,’ he said.
During the meeting, senior officials from the department gave presentations on matters such as the councillors' code of conduct, Cogta's capacity building programmes, and the department's findings of municipal assessments.
He also conveyed his condolences to the family of Inkosi Jomba Sam Zulu (72) of the Bhekeshowe Traditional Council and Izigqoza sub-clan in Nkandla, who passed away last week following a short illness.
'As a department, we work closely with the Zulu Royal family, and we also worked very well with Inkosi Zulu,’ said Hlomuka.