MyZA

News, Directory, Events and Other Stuff

You are here: Home / News / Maintaining transparency between government spheres is of absolute importance

Maintaining transparency between government spheres is of absolute importance

While it is a relief to have a local government partner who takes the initiative in accelerating the delivery of services, it can also be discomforting when these initiatives are not within legislated policy framework. Previous instances have shown how costly such actions can be in the delivery of vital services to residents.

I refer to the media statement issued by the Theewaterskloof Municipality (TWK) on 27 May 2024, titled “THEEWATERSKLOOF MUNICIPALITY APPOINTS THE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT AGENCY (HDA) IN LANDMARK MOVE TO ACCELERATE HOUSING DELIVERY AND PROJECTS.”

I have subsequently written to the office of the Mayor of TWK Municipality to seek clarity regarding this appointment. Furthermore, I want to understand the details of how such a decision was taken without consulting the provincial department, which is the custodian of oversight for all housing developments in the province, including the housing function as per the concurrent function between the National and Provincial spheres.

The Western Cape Government prioritises the emancipation of local government, as this enables the acceleration of delivering adequate services to the residents of this province. The leadership of the human settlements branch in my department has engaged with the TWK municipality on nine separate occasions between November 2022 and February 2024 to ensure that we assist the municipality in advancing the delivery of housing opportunities. It is well documented that due to political instability in the past, TWK has not been functioning optimally in serve of our citizens.

The media statement of May 27 by the TWK municipality listed six projects to be delivered between 2024 and 2027. I can, however, categorically confirm that only one of these projects is under way, and at a lesser scale than reported, with at least three in the infancy of planning and one that is not in the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) Business Plan.

I am concerned about the inaccurate information in the media statement. While the country is on the verge of elections, we should refrain from creating false hope for the residents.

The Western Cape Department of Infrastructure will always endeavor to emancipate our partners in the local government sphere as we seek to create an enabling environment that benefits all residents.

Category: Tag: ,

If you feel strongly about this article then feel free to send MyZA a ‘Letter to the Editor’ using the submission form below:

Letter to the Editor

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
If this is in response to an article please include that article title here or as the lead in for the first paragraph of your Letter below.

Separate tags with commas

Localise your letter by naming the city your words are about. Add relevant words describing your subject. Single comma separated words of no more than 5
Your Name(Required)
Your Name will be linked to the website below.
Your personal, business or social media web site
Choose NO to not set up a user account on MyZA. User Accounts will allow you to submit letters under your own Author Name

3 Latest Letters to the Editor:

  • Older Persons Grants Land Today — No Need to Queue at Dawn

    Dear Editor, Older Persons grants are paid today, 30 October, under SASSA’s revised November payment schedule — with disability grants on Monday 2 November, children’s grants on Tuesday 3 November, and grants under review on Thursday 5 November. Two things every beneficiary should know. First, grant money does not expire on payment day. It stays…

  • November Grants Pay Early – No Need to Queue at Dawn

    Dear Editor, I run SAGrant (sagrant.co.za), a free resource helping South Africans navigate SASSA grants. November grants pay earlier than usual. Older Persons grants are paid on Friday 30 October, Disability grants on 2 November, and Child Support and other grants on 3 November. Grants still under review are paid on 5 November. The money…

  • NSFAS 2027 applications close on 31 October — SASSA households, apply now

    Dear Editor, I run SAGrant (sagrant.co.za), a free resource helping South Africans navigate SASSA grants. NSFAS applications for the 2027 academic year close on Friday 31 October 2026, and no extension is expected. If your household receives a SASSA grant, your child already passes the NSFAS financial eligibility test — but they still have to…

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Nigeria: You have two cows. You convince an old American woman to invest in them, but pocket the money and run.

  2. Fun South African Fact: While the country only covers 1% of the Earth’s land surface, South Africa boasts 10% of the world’s bird, fish and plant species as well as 6% of its mammal and reptile species!