15 April 2025

Media statement

Attention all media

KZN LEGISLATURE AND SALGA KZN JOIN FORCES BY SIGNING MOU TO ACCELARATE SERVICE DELIVERY

KwaZulu-Natal Legislature Speaker Hon. Nontembeko Boyce and KwaZulu-Natal SALGA Chairperson Xolani Dube have officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding which will assist in strengthening collaboration between the legislature and SALGA in the province. 

Hon. Boyce said, “We are happy that after successful engagements and meetings we have had with the PEC for SALGA that we are able to form this strategic partnership which will contribute in coordinating strategies which will be crucial in supporting municipalities and the Legislature while conducting oversight across the province.”

“We are also looking forward to the relaunch of the KZN Provincial Speaker’s forum which will assist in the empowerment of Speakers across all municipalities in KZN. Through this agreement we will be able to share reports and have SALGA KZN as a strategic partner in some of our oversight programmes, said Hon. Boyce.

This collaboration will create a platform where the Legislature and municipalities will be able to address challenges related to service delivery and intergovernmental participation in the Integrated Development Plan (IDP) processes.

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ENDS

Part of today’s engagement was to have discussions on the relaunch of a Provincial Speaker’s forum which will include municipal speakers. KZN Speaker’s Forum will assist in the empowerment of Speakers. Sharing reports on Legislature Municipal Committee activities undertaken in line with the agreement and overseeing administrative structures to implement provisions of the cooperation agreement and giving political direction.

To commemorate Human Rights Day, KwaZulu-Natal Speaker Hon. Nontembeko Boyce visited Word of God Care Centre in Betania, under Ray Nkonyeni Municipality. 

Hon Boyce said, “It is important for the Legislature to visit this centre on Human Rights Day as the caregivers work tirelessly to take care of the elderly and disabled people. We appreciate the work done by these caregivers who ensures that the people at the centre get the dignity they deserve in society. By visiting the Word of God this Human Rights Day we wanted to donate cleaning supplies and thank the staff for their dedication and we hope that the centre will receive more donations to ensure that they continue with the work that they do.”

Founder of the Word of God  founder Thandazile  Nzama thanked the Speaker of the Legislature for the donation and dedicated support over the years. She said the main purpose was to care for the elderly and disabled give them shelter basic needs  safety,security and emotional support.

The Word of God Care Centre houses the elderly and disabled people to ensure that the health issues are addressed. The Primary Caregivers have knowledge on aging, needs and care services for residents, and ways of providing individualized care and support for senior citizens housed in the centre.

Thandazile said,”The caregivers working at the care centre are trained in psychosocial issues and interventions for the institutionalized elderly. Our  training programme has improved  which includes knowledge about needs and psychological interventions for the elderly residents.”

Hon Boyce donated cleaning materials which included blankets and adult nappies which will assist the caregivers in their daily work. 

#humanrightsday2025

Media Statement

For Immediate Release

KWAZULU-NATAL LEGISLATORS RAISE CONCERNS OVER THE SUSPENSION OF CONDITIONAL GRANTS TO 25 KWAZULU-NATAL MUNICIPALITIES

The Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) in KwaZulu-Natal has expressed deep disappointment and concern over the suspension of conditional grants totalling R861.4 million to 25 municipalities within our province.

It is particularly alarming that eThekwini Metro, the province’s only metropolitan municipality, severely challenged by service delivery issues, accounts for the bulk of the suspended funds, totalling R678 million. Furthermore, it is highly concerning that Msunduzi Municipality, the capital city of KwaZulu-Natal, also features prominently among those municipalities impacted by grant suspension, highlighting persistent governance and financial management challenges. 

This situation is unacceptable, as these grants were specifically intended to improve the quality of life of residents through vital infrastructure projects such as electricity provision, water and sanitation improvements, and public transportation enhancements. Non-spending of allocated grants demonstrates poor financial governance and inadequate administrative management, depriving our communities of essential services and development opportunities. 

The Auditor-General’s (AG) recent report underscores that most municipalities in KZN have achieved unqualified audits with findings. This indicates significant deficiencies in compliance, financial management, and governance processes. Findings predominantly include unauthorized, irregular, fruitless, and wasteful expenditure; non-compliance with key legislation; weak financial reporting; and inadequate consequence management for those responsible for governance lapses. 

It is imperative that municipalities vigorously pursue Section 106 investigations to enforce financial accountability. These investigations are crucial for addressing the findings raised by the AG, and where necessary, officials and political figures implicated in financial misconduct must be prosecuted swiftly and effectively. 

Moreover, political parties governing these municipalities bear a direct responsibility for enhancing oversight and enforcing accountability. It cannot remain business as usual when nearly R900 million, critically needed for the development and welfare of KZN residents, is lost due to non-performance. 

We, therefore, call on all political leaders at both provincial and municipal levels to prioritize stringent oversight and robust consequence management practices to ensure grant funding is utilized effectively and efficiently. The cycle of complacency must end, and swift action must be taken to address audit findings decisively to ensure meaningful improvements in governance, financial management, and service delivery. 

It is our collective responsibility to ensure that every cent allocated to improving the lives of our people is spent wisely, transparently, and effectively. The people of KwaZulu-Natal deserve better.

Members of the CoGTA Portfolio Committee has called on the KZN Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs to furnish them with a detailed report outlining reasons why individual municipalities failed to spend their grants so that appropriate oversight interventions can be employed to assist.

ISSUED BY THE COGTA PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSON, HON MARLAINE NAIR

For interviews: Hon Marlaine Nair 0726928963

For enquiries: Mr Bongani Tembe 0823272600