BUFFALO CITY TO HOST SOUTH AFRICAN MAYORS
The South African Local Government Association (SALGA) Council of Mayors is an annual gathering of Mayors and Executive Mayors to focus on addressing challenges experienced in local government.
It also serves as a platform for peer learning and sharing best practices in governance.
The President of the Republic, His Excellency, Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to deliver the keynote address at the event, which will be the first gathering of Mayors, since the 1 November 2021 Local Government elections.
The Council of Mayors will also feature panel discussions by Ministers and Mayors.
Buffalo City Metro Executive Mayor Councillor Xola Pakati, who also serves as the Deputy President of SALGA, has described the gathering of Mayors as a time of reflecting and pulling together.
“As Mayors gather in our City this week under the umbrella of SALGA, they must insist on innovative solutions and push for policies to ensure that as the country emerges from this governance and economic crises post-Covid -19, we pull each other together as peers of good governance,” he said.
The Council of Mayors also serves as a platform to:
• Act as a consultative forum for the development of local government positions on policies and legislation impacting local government;
• Identify policy and legislative matters that SALGA needs to include in its advocacy, lobbying, and strategic engagements in a proactive manner;
• Identify challenges faced by the executive in municipalities and propose solutions and approaches to address prevailing challenges facing local government and
• Share good practices regarding the role of the executive in the municipality.
The Auditor General of South Africa (AGSA) report on Municipal Audit outcomes for 2020/2021 financial year called for capable leaders to demonstrate change by strengthening transparency and accountability.
The Council of Mayors will in part focus on the state of municipal finances and come up with measures to address challenges related to municipal financial management and sustainability.
2022-09-06