Velenkosini Hlabisa Commits to Overhauling Dysfunctional Municipalities and Strengthening Traditional Leadership

In his address, Minister Hlabisa acknowledged the pressing issues plaguing several municipalities across South Africa, emphasizing his administration's commitment to turnaround strategies.

Velenkosini Hlabisa, the newly appointed Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), delivered a decisive Budget Vote Speech in Parliament, outlining ambitious plans to address the challenges faced by local municipalities and bolster support for traditional leadership structures.

In his address, Minister Hlabisa acknowledged the pressing issues plaguing several municipalities across South Africa, emphasizing his administration's commitment to turnaround strategies. Highlighting financial distress and governance shortcomings as primary concerns, he underscored the department's intent to implement Municipal Support and Intervention Plans (MSIPs) and financial recovery initiatives in municipalities struggling with service delivery.

Specifically, Minister Hlabisa identified five additional municipalities—Ditsobotla in North West, Kopanong and Mafube in Free State, Emfuleni in Gauteng, and Thabazimbi in Limpopo—as priorities due to severe financial and governance crises. These municipalities have faced challenges ranging from salary payment delays to unsustainable debt burdens and protracted legal disputes.

Addressing the iconic eThekwini Metro, Minister Hlabisa pledged targeted interventions to tackle governance, institutional, and service delivery issues. He noted ongoing support from the national government and KwaZulu-Natal CoGTA, stressing that the focus on these municipalities does not diminish support for others facing similar challenges.

The Cooperative Governance budget, amounting to R395.7 billion, allocates a substantial portion (R379.61 billion) to municipalities over the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF). This funding covers the local government equitable share, disaster relief grants, and municipal infrastructure grants, essential for enhancing service delivery capabilities.

Minister Hlabisa also highlighted the pivotal role of the Municipal Infrastructure Support Agent (MISA) in assisting 22 distressed municipalities requiring infrastructure investments. These municipalities, constrained by borrowing limitations and reduced transfers amid fiscal constraints, struggle to mobilize resources independently.

Beyond municipal reforms, Minister Hlabisa advocated for streamlined government processes to ensure effective planning, budgeting, implementation, and monitoring of programs. He emphasized the need for accountability in public spending, asserting that infrastructure development and community welfare must not be compromised.

Turning to traditional leadership, Minister Hlabisa expressed support for the institution, including the Khoi-San community, aiming to strengthen their roles within the governance framework. Despite a reduced budget allocation of R187.3 million for Traditional Affairs, he pledged efforts to address challenges faced by traditional and Khoi-San leaders, such as uneven support distribution and cultural heritage preservation.

The Minister affirmed the government's commitment to the Commission on Khoi-San Matters (CKSM), tasked with evaluating applications for Khoi-San community and leader recognition. He highlighted ongoing efforts to streamline processes and promote cultural heritage respect, ensuring inclusivity and integration within municipal governance frameworks.

In conclusion, Minister Hlabisa emphasized the urgency of improving service delivery ahead of the 2026 Local Government Elections. He called for collective efforts from all stakeholders—Parliament, government departments, municipalities, traditional leaders, civil society, and citizens—to achieve meaningful progress and empower communities across South Africa.