‘Friends, family and cronies’: COGTA minister Hlabisa says municipal hiring must change - EWN

South Africa has a new plan for fixing local government.

Cabinet has approved the Revised White Paper on Local Government, after years of concerns about failing services, weak governance, municipal finances and accountability.

The government says the focus must move from policy to implementation, with a 90-day transition plan and reforms to be rolled out after the 4 November local government elections.

But it comes at a time when many communities are dealing with unreliable water and electricity, sewage problems, poor roads and municipalities struggling financially.

Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa told 702's Ray White that bad appointments were at the heart of many of the financial and governance problems facing municipalities.

“At the core of this massive wasteful expenditure is the competency of the officials and the competency of the political leadership,” he said.