Executive summary
Mandate 1: Lobby, advocate and represent Mandate 2: Employer body
The first mandate, to lobby, advocate and
represent the interest of local government at
relevant structures and platforms continued to
be well delivered by SALGA’s parliamentary office
and by its participation in numerous platforms to
lobby for the interests of local government. On SALGA’s second mandate, which is to act as
an employee body representing all municipal
members and, by agreement, associate members,
SALGA was active in representing member
municipalities in disciplinary code processes,
conciliations, arbitrations and litigations.
SALGA also appointed actuarial services on the
restructuring of pension funds and represented
the interests of all municipalities in the handling
of medical aid and housing subsidies.
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SALGA in Parliament
SALGA engaged Eskom on the current key
structural and technical issues that have
exacerbated municipal debt to Eskom as well as
that owed to municipalities. In 2016/17, SALGA
successfully lobbied for changes to some of
Eskom’s credit control policies. SALGA also held
engagements with ministers of CoGTA, Public
Enterprises as well as with NERSA in which
the problematic relationship between Eskom
and municipalities was discussed including
challenges related to the municipal debt.
SALGA established a metro energy forum during
the year under review. The purpose of this forum
was to discuss, interrogate, analyse and provide
recommendations on any energy/electricity
issues (policy, legislation and/or operational
issues) that are specific to metro energy and
electricity utilities. The forum provides a
mandate for SALGA’s advocacy, support and
lobbying role in the electricity industry, including
engagement with relevant industry stakeholders
(eg government departments, political structures
etc) on behalf of metros.
SALGA also played an important role in
representing its members when National
Treasury introduced an important, but difficult
set of regulations, the municipal standard chart
of accounts (mSCOA) by lobbying for support and
training on the regulations, and assessing the
state of readiness of municipalities to introduce
mSCOA.
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Disciplinary
hearings
Conciliations
Arbitrations
2016/17 Municipal cases handled
Mandate 3: Capacity building
SALGA’s third mandate is to build the capacity of
municipalities as institutions as well as leadership
and technical capacity of councillors and officials.
In this respect, 2016/17 was a significant year for
SALGA as the sector went through a transition
centred on the local government elections on
3 August 2016. This resulted in a new body of
local councillors taking office, thus needing to be
inducted and trained.
BREAKDOWN OF 2016
NEWLY ELECTED COUNCILLORS
Ward
PR
Province
Total
Cllrs
Cllrs
Eastern Cape
703
787
1 490
Free State
309
350
659
Gauteng
529
563
1 092
KwaZulu-Natal
870
976
1 846
Limpopo
565
657
1 222
Mpumalanga
400
460
860
North West
407
473
880
Northern Cape
204
219
423
Western Cape
401
433
834
TOTAL
4 388
4 918
9 306
Source: Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) 10
Aug 2016