SALGA strengthens role and support to councillors

Joshua Motsomane

 

THABAZIMBI – South African Local Government Association (SALGA) visited Thabazmbi Municipality as part of its mandate and purpose of providing support to councillors.

The purpose of the visit was to present a workshop on roles and responsibilities, code of conduct, protocol and intervention to councillors. SARS and Municipal Councillors Pension Fund officials also accompanied SALGA.

The presentations were on the roles and responsibilities of the following key role players in a municipality: the municipal council;  the executive committee; the mayor; ward committees; section 79 committee (committee appointed by council); section 80 committee (committee appointed by the Executive Committee; the speaker and the chief whip as identified by legislation.

Each of these roles will be specifically defined in precise terms by each municipality in the country and will be determined by the internal arrangements with the municipalities.

Every municipal council has the right to determine its internal procedures which is protected by the Constitution. It allows the municipal council to decide how to structure the internal operation of the municipality and what kinds of mandate/area of responsibility it assigns to political structures, office bearers and the Municipal Manager.

This right is coupled with an obligation in the Systems Act, which instructs each municipality to define the roles and areas of responsibilities of political office bearer’s structures.

It was further indicated that more of informative session with councillors will be arranged and SALGA will be invited to clarify and present to the whole council.

Mayor Patricia Mosito welcoming councillors and SALGA, SARS and Municipal Councillors Pension Funds officials during the roles and responsibilities workshop held recently.