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Speech by MEC Nkwinti at the Strategic Planning Workshop
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Speeches and Media Releases
 Housing and Local Government

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EASTERN CAPE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT
 SPEECH BY MEC GUGILE NKWINTI
 AT THE STRATEGIC PLANNING WORKSHOP
 2 FEBRUARY 2001



SOME PERSPECTIVES ON DEVELOPMENTAL LOCAL GOVERNMENT

1. INTRODUCTION

In this address, I am attempting to interact with my colleagues on my humble views on some strategic issues in the transformation of local 
government. I assume that my colleagues from the Strategic Management Team have touched on our pet subject, the developmental local 
government model. I will, therefore, not bore you further with that subject; save to say that it must at all times inform our strategic 
thinking. I am sure that Dion Ramoo will present to you a developmental local government finance model this morning.

The trust of my address this morning is an organizational model of a developmental local government. Each of these models, related as they 
are, poses specific challenges that may be unique to it alone. The common thread running through all three of them is the notion of a 
developmental local government. You may be asking yourselves: why these models? There is a simple answer to that question, and that is, 
modeling is a simplified version of reality; it is, in the words of one social scientist, "an essential stage in the scientific approach, 
which involves a series of iterations between models and observation on the ground."

2. THE TRANSFORMATION PATH: A BRIEF RECAP

We need to remind one another, briefly, about the strategic path to local government transformation. The strategic path has three phases, 
namely:

* Amalgamation or integration;
* Rationalization; and
* Institutional design.

Amalgamation is a quantitative process which did not need to be complicated. Formally speaking, it has been completed. In reality, though, 
it left us with lots of questions in certain respects. For example, did all the formers, TLCs, TRCS and District Councils submit all assets 
and liabilities, especial with respect to unmarked and immovable property like land and buildings? Was full account given of stolen and 
abused public property? There are many other questions, which need answers.

The second phase, rationalization, steps us into the third phase. Quantitative rationalization, as was witnessed with the reduction of the 
number of councils and councilors, has been completed. But sensitive issues such as staff establishments have not yet been concluded; 
budgets have not yet been rationalized; by-laws and ordinances continue to receive our serious attention. These are qualitative 
rationalization issues, which require certain skills, which are generally scarce.

The third phase, institutional design, is the trickiest of all three phases.There is no way one can achieve it without a clear and 
generally shared vision. Thanks to the democratic republic, we have a generally shared vision, a developmental local government. What we 
need is an agreement; even
 better, a consensus on how to achieve our vision. The key lies in institutional design, based on the critical elements of our 
developmental local government model and the transformative legislative framework that is over-arching our transitional processes. 
Following hereafter is a presentation on one of probably many models of a developmental local government organization.

3. ORGANISATIONAL MODEL: DEVELOPMENTAL LOCAL GOVERNMENT

The development Local Government Organisation Structure diagram is an over-arching organizational form, which is a graphic representation 
of the most critical institutional centres in a developmental local government, based on the existing model in our Province:

4. SUMMARY

It is for us all to realize that we cannot achieve the objects of a developmental local government, unless we were prepared and committed 
to fundamental institutional change. It is not enough to have one of the most democratic constitutional designs. We need an emotional 
commitment to making
 it work. Some people call this patriotism. Just because we are academics does not mean we should be intimidated by models. We must see 
them for what they are; graphic representations of what we perceive as the real world.

CRITICAL ADMINISTRATION & TECHNICAL TASK

1.Finance Management
 2.Human Resources Management
3.Engineering and Planning
 4.Legal Services Management
 5.Transitional Management


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