Xolani Mbanjwa
August 27, 2008 Star
One in three municipal councillors cannot read or write, and more lack
basic competencies to run local government finances.
Some councillors are even embarrassed to admit they do not understand
English and are therefore unable to follow council proceedings or
training sessions.
It is recommended that adult education becomes a priority in all
municipalities.
On average, only half of local government politicians have post-matric
qualifications, while only two out of 10 understand how tariffs are set
or the cost implications of municipal services.
And more than two-thirds of councillors - including those who serve on
mayoral committees - don't understand their roles, their
responsibilities or local government legislations.
These facts are contained in a study by the SA Local Government
Association (Salga).
The depressing figures have been fingered as one of the main
contributors of poor municipal service delivery, but also expose the
legacy of apartheid in institutions of governance.
The study - conducted since the 2006 local polls and completed late last
year - evaluated 7 000 of the country's 9 300 councillors.
Salga said 32 percent of councillors required ABET training.
"Without these skills (reading and writing) they may not fully develop
their abilities and optimally contribute to council activities -
especially when affairs of council are driven by agendas, reports
submitted and minutes.
"The 32 percent of councillors who require ABET training should receive
support as a matter of priority, particularly as this report shows
councillors with higher levels of education stand a better chance to
serve in senior positions, such as mayoral committees."
Salga head of skills development Sifiso Mbatha said the illiterate
councillors "don't understand local government issues", admitting the
illiteracy rate in municipalities greatly contributed to poor service
delivery.
A number of councillors were not comfortable in conducting business or
being trained in English.
"Some councillors are not comfortable in doing business in languages
that are not their mother-tongues.
"But they keep quiet because they are embarrassed.
"This study has helped us a lot, together with the Local Government
Sector Education and Training Authority (Seta) and the department of
provincial and local government in terms of service delivery," said
Mbatha.
"We need to take this (illiteracy) into consideration when we improve
capacity for councillors, for them to understand what government is
trying to do when it comes to service delivery."
He defended the appalling literacy rate of councillors and pointed to
the country's historical political system.
"We need to understand where we come from, because some of our
councillors were in the struggle and did not have a chance to go to
school. Their political parties have deployed them to municipalities.
"Not only councillors have problems, but also appointed officials."
Mbatha said R32-million had been approved to train councillors and
register some for ABET classes.
Professor Enslin van Rooyen, an expert on local government at the
University of Pretoria's School of Public Management and Administration,
said the situation had dire consequences for municipalities.
"The practical implications are that if so many of them do not have
proper reading and writing skills, then we can assume that councils end
up approving budgets they can't interpret," he added.
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