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Eastern Cape Local government retreat
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Speeches and Media Releases
 Premier's Office

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 EASTERN CAPE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT
SPEECH BY PREMIER  STOFILE AT LOCAL GOVERNMENT RETREAT
 IN FISH RIVER SUN
4 SEPTEMBER 2000



Introductory Remarks:

Importance of the Retreat to the Cabinet and Government of the Eastern Cape, hence the request to have it postponed from last week to now, 
so as to afford all of us an opportunity to participate.

Purpose:

The stated purpose of the Retreat is:

to afford ourselves an opportunity to develop a strategic approach to running the new municipalities and metro.Also to explore and define 
the co-operation and mutual support that should exist among the three (3) spheres of Government.

For this reason, this Retreat is designed to provide a useful forum for the change of our mindset.It is hoped that we in turn will 
facilitate a similar change of mindset to those who will be constituting part of the team.We must all be aligned with the new challenges, 
functions and orientation of the future situation.Such reorientation in our mindset cannot be taken for granted.It will also come only as a 
result of a concerted effort to build it.A change of mindset does not come easily or spontaneously.It is usually a product of hard and 
persistent work over a period of time.

The way I see it, the new scenario posits a change in the functions and powers of municipalities.They will now change from a regulatory 
authority or a mere service-provider.Municipalities, it seems to me, will now also become service authorities.They have to identify the 
needs of a community and find someone to address such needs through a particular service.The municipality, per se, need not be the Provider 
of the service.They can facilitate the provisioning of a service.

But this poses a great challenge.Councillors will have to be more people-oriented and development-sensitive than hitherto.Councillors will 
have to get out of their offices and acquaint themselves with the REAL needs of the people.Having determined such needs, municipalities 
will then have to do advocacy work and galvanise both support and resources. In a sense this will not be new to our mayors.But it is more 
formalized and legislated in the new set-up.

The provisioning of Infra-structure (fences, tarring of streets, water etc.) as well as the protection of the environment whilst taking 
care of social and economic needs of the communities will bring the work of municipalities closer than before to the functions of both 
Provincial and Central Governments.This is going to need careful management to avoid an unnecessary tension.Section 154(1) of the 
Constitution enjoins both Provincial and National Governments to support and strengthen municipalities.Together with Chapter 3 of the 
Constitution, these should be enough frames to guide the co-operation that must be realized among all spheres of Government.As I say, this 
is not going to happen by itself.We have to work consistently at it and change our mindset.The Constitution does not say we may.
 It says that we must help and strengthen municipalities.

Lastly, we are also going to have a Metro for the first time in this Province.We do not have an experience of what to expect from it.But we 
are sure to benefit from some delegates from places like Johannesburg and Cape Town in this respect.Our Metro links up three different 
towns, that we know.What we do not know is the impact of Metrolisation to small adjacent areas like Bersheba, Cookhouse, Graaf Reinette, 
Kliplaat etc.We are challenged to work out how the tax-base of the Metro must continue to assist the livelihood of those small towns.

These are not easy challenges.But we have men and women in this Province who are very capable.We have dealt with difficult situations 
before.There is no reason why the current challenges should not be tackled gallantly and effectively.In this way we may, again, teach South 
Africa a thing or two

Welcome to you all.The Conference is opened for deliberations.

REV. M.A. STOFILE
 PREMIER: EASTERN CAPE

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