Media Statement: Cogta Chairperson Welcomes Municipal Wage Agreement as a First Step to Stabilising Municipalities and Ensuring Service Delivery

Parliament, Tuesday, 10 September 2024 - The Chairperson of the Select Committee on Cooperative Governance and Public Administration (Traditional Affairs, Human Settlements and Water & Sanitation), Mr Mxolisi Kaunda, has hailed the five-year wage agreement between the South African Local Government Association (SALGA) and labour unions within the local sphere of government and hopes that the agreement will lead to stability.

"Now that the wage agreement issue has been put to bed, it is essential that workers contribute to the stabilisation of the local sphere of government to ensure that municipalities are functional and deliver quality services. It is imperative that municipalities work for the benefit of the residents as mandated by the Constitution," Mr Kaunda emphasised.

The dire state of many municipalities, according to the Chairperson, requires passionate and dedicated personnel committed to providing quality services to residents. The signing of a long-term agreement should ensure the stability needed to improve municipal efficiency and effectiveness.

The Chairperson noted that the agreement was reached with due consideration of municipalities' constrained finances. "By improving services, the workers will positively contribute to municipalities' ability to bill for services to ensure a positive cash flow for municipalities. With the salary increase issue now history, it is important that workers eliminate the nonchalant attitude to service delivery," Mr Kaunda said.

The Chairperson emphasised that one of the contributory factors to the low collection of municipal levies and taxes is the poor quality services that residents receive, which impacts on their willingness to pay for services rendered.

Mr Kaunda noted the agreement's intention to meaningfully address the problem municipal workers have in accessing housing. He welcomed the fact that in terms of the agreement, employees earning R22 000 per month or less who do not receive any form of housing allowance will benefit from a once-off payment of R2 000 in the first year of the agreement. Following that, an investigation, to be concluded by March 2025, will explore ways in which housing conditions for South Africa's municipal workers can be significantly improved, which must also be commended.

The Chairperson also welcomed the commitment from labour unions to find methods to optimise productivity within the sector. "It is only through collaboration that municipalities can be strengthened and services improved. This should be an era of effective service delivery to our people; they expect nothing less and we dare not fail," Mr Kaunda concluded.

ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE SELECT COMMITTEE ON COOPERATIVE GOVERNANCE AND PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION, MR MXOLISI KAUNDA.

For media enquiries or interviews with the Chairperson, please contact the committee's Media Officer:
Name: Malatswa Molepo (Mr)
Parliamentary Communication Services
Tel: 021 403 8438
Cell: 081 512 7920
E-mail: [email protected]

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