- The Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs has expressed concern over the continued failure of municipal interventions to deliver lasting improvements and called for the strengthening of early warning systems.

The committee noted that some municipalities have been under administration for over a decade with no clear improvements, raising questions about how efficient such interventions are.

The committee received a briefing from the department and the South African Local Government Association (SALGA) to clarify the difference between s139 and s154 interventions in municipalities. Section 139 interventions provide for when a municipality cannot or does not fulfil an executive obligation in terms of the Constitution or legislation; the relevant provincial executive may intervene (reactively), whereas Section 154 mandates national and provincial governments to support municipalities in strengthening their capacity.

The briefing followed an earlier briefing on the Intergovernmental Monitoring, Support and Interventions (IMSI) Bill aimed at tightening laws on national and provincial government support and interventions in municipalities. The Bill must also remedy the challenges often experienced during interventions when one sphere of government cannot fulfil its executive obligations.

Although the committee appreciated the intent of such interventions, members remained concerned about their inconsistent application and failure to act on early warning signs for a more preventative approach. The committee noted that early warning systems, such as Section 71 and 72 reports, as provided for in the Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA), are often not used optimally, which results in reactive rather than preventative governance. Some members also noted that many municipalities often remain in prolonged distress despite these interventions due to a lack of consequence management and poor coordination across spheres of government, among other things.

The role of administrations also came under scrutiny, with some members flagging the politicisation and often arbitrariness of interventions. The committee was also concerned that reporting frameworks are often not standardised and that there is no unified, consistent approach to monitoring municipal performance. Members noted that all these challenges are now on the IMSI Bill to remedy.

Committee Chairperson Dr Zweli Mkhize stressed the importance of cooperative governance and said its success depends not only on laws but also on the political will and commitment of all stakeholders to collaborate and work together. He cautioned against municipalities resorting to litigation even when faced with legitimate interventions when they perform poorly, as the goal must always be to deliver services to the people. He also stressed the need to professionalise municipal administration, insulate it against politics and ensure that performance is consistently monitored.

The committee affirmed its commitment to finalise the IMSI Bill to close some of the governance gaps and help streamline cooperative governance across all spheres of government. This Bill aims to provide clear, consistent and enforceable standards matched by a common interpretation and implementation across provinces.

The committee called on all stakeholders to prioritise service delivery over squabbles about powers. "We should focus on the objective. We are supposed to ensure service delivery, and we are supposed to make sure that people are accountable, that there's consequence management, and that each one of us continues to participate and do what their powers and responsibilities are," the Chairperson said.