Pixley ka Seme District Municipality Presentation on Municipal Accreditation Progress

1. PixleykaSeme District MunicipalityPresentation on Municipal Accreditation Progress Presented by: Hastings Nel Housing Manager Date: 08 June2011

2. Purpose • This presentation will try and cover the progress made by Pixley ka Seme District Municipality in terms of its Accreditation since inception. • We will look at; • A background as to the District. • Integration of the Housing Unit into the District Municipality • Intergovernmental relations • Projects • HSS and Needs Register • Plans and policies • Challenges • Conclusion

3. Map of PixleykaSeme District

4. Background – Demographics • The Pixley ka Seme district lies in the south-east of the Northern Cape province and shares its borders with three other provinces, namely, the Free State province to the east, the Eastern Cape to the south-east and the Western Cape to the south-west. • It is one of five district municipalities in the province and is the second largest covering a total surface area of 102 727 km2. • Consisting of 8 category “B” municipalities, namely, Ubuntu, Emthanjeni, Siyancuma, Siyathemba, Kareeberg, Renosterberg, Thembelihle and Umsobomvu, and one DMA. • These municipalities are made up of 24 towns • The total population in Pixley ka Seme District is of 164 412 which represents 16,49% of the population of the Northern Cape. • The population density of the district is 1,6 persons per km2 which is less than the provincial population density of 2,27 persons per km2.

5. Demographics – Cont. • These are low to medium capacity municipalities, with serious capacity challenges especially in their technical sections/departments. • All these municipalities but three do have Engineers in their technical departments • None of these Municipalities do have planning capacity and these functions are either out sourced or performed by the District municipality’s Shared Services centre.

6. Integration • Since February 2006 when the conditional level one accreditation was granted, the district municipality begun the creation and integration of a housing unit into the district municipality’s functions. • Engagements with labour started through our LLF and agreement was reached followed by a draft Organisational structure was tabled to council for approval. • The Housing unit has since been populated by a Manager, 4 Housing clerks, 1Supervisor (Housing Specialist) and 2 Building inspectors. • The Clerks are in the main responsible for HSS, Needs Register and consumer Education. • With the building inspectors ensuring that there is proper quality control, and their work is further monitored by the PMU technicians and engineers. • With the shared service giving us assistance in terms of planning.

7. Integration

8. IGR. • Inter governmental relations are lead by the executive mayor through the district IGR Forum which includes all the district mayors and Municipal Mangers. • This Forum is supported by the technical IGR that is lead by the District Municipal Manager, this forum is made up of the districts technocrats which discusses all the shared services and assistance the district give to the locals • These structures meet regularly on a quarterly bases and the technical IGR can even be called when ever something urgent come up. • Workshops were held to engage with local municipalities on the process of drafting the housing plans and of formalising our relationship in the form of a MOU/SLA that has been signed with all our locals. • All of the above forms part of the district shared services centre’s program where the district gives support to local municipalities.

9. Finances - Income • For the financial year 2006/2007 we received R 650 000.00. • 2007/2008 we further received R 2 000 000.00. • 2008/2009 received R1 000 000.00. • 2009/2010 and 2010/ 2011 we received R 3 225 000.00. • The first three financial years we received support from the National department • The last two financial years the grants were received from the provincial department.

10. Finance - Expenditure • These grants were used in the create and establish a proper office with furniture • The procurement of all the necessary IT equipment. • Drafting of an organogram with job descriptions. • Appointment of staff • Drafting of Housing plans for all Category B Municipalities and the district Integrated Housing Plan • Housing Demand Database Research – Appointment of volunteers • Drafting of policies. • Workshops with Municipalities and Councilors • Acquisition of vehicles for site visits. • Daily administration

11. Financial ManagementAuditor’s General’s report on the Municipality • 2007/08 = Qualified Report • 2008/09 = Qualified Report • 2009/10 = Qualified Report

12. Financial Management2009/10 Qualified opinion Challenges • Irregular expenditure amounting to R1.3M not disclosed on AFS ( Max Prof, Astra travel & Tire City) • Leave transactions not captured timeously – R2,045M

13. Projects • PixleykaSeme District has been given full developer Status in the Ouboks project (ISUP) in Colesberg in Umsobomvu Municipality • This is a 1848 unit development with 200 rental units • We are also playing some form of supporting role to Renosterberg and Siyancuma Municipalities • With the Level two accreditation and the signing of the MOU we will now play a much more active role in Human Settlements projects in the whole districts.

14. Projects – Cont. • We are also involved in our municipalities in the following areas • NHBRC Registration • Closure of old projects • Drafting of Business Plans • Unblocking all blockages in projects or planned projects • Provisioning of inspectorate

15. Projects

16. HSS and Needs Register • We have been on HSS Online since 2006 but the system has just been a major disappointment since inception, • The system has now once again come to operate at a snails pace and we have reported all these challenges to the department, as a result of these challenges we have approached both the Regional and Provincial offices of the Department to allow us to do the capturing on their system in their offices, to try and catch up on our backlogs and we are now making use of the Regional Office. • The Needs register is now operational with all the challenges that have now been exaggerated by the fact that the consultants who used to work with the program where dismissed without proper staffing at national that can be of assistance.

17. Relations with Dept. • Quarterly Task team meetings are held to ensure that all accredited municipalities receive the necessary support and sharing of best practices. • There used to be HSS support group meetings were would present all our challenges and short comings of the system. • The department is also going the extra mile in ensuring that we are systematically introduced and become part of their running projects. • We are accounting on a monthly bases on our performance as to progress made in our accreditation process.

18. Challenges • The major challenges are: • The uncertainty around the funding model and inadequate funding • The Housing Quantum - one size fits all • HSS online – Not really operator friendly • Needs Register there are to many changes and not properly communicated • In house planning capacity – few planners available • Nationals focus on Metros • Ad hock allocations – No MTEF (DORA) • Lack of housing capacity in local Municipalities • Conflicting statements from National about District Municipalities

19. Conclusion • We are a municipality labeled to be the poorest in the province but Pixley ka Seme District Municipality has seen it as their responsibility to pull them selves out of the doldrums of poverty. • Housing as a function did not just add to the functions of the District but has rather improved the lives already of more than a thousand people in accelerating the delivery of Houses to those who so desperately needs proper shelter, in this proses we have contributed in making the promised better life to our people a reality, through the creation of jobs and by so doing fighting poverty. • With the proper implementation of BNG in this region we will not just be removing the last hurdles of apartheid but will also be bringing hope to the peoples of this region • We have moved in leaps and bounds as a district in the integration of housing into their daily functions and in five very short years moved from a district municipality with no Housing section to a fully functional and capacitated housing unit. • The decision taken to accredit the district especially in this province was the best decision taken by a National department about the Northern Cape as our province is not like any and our solutions needs a fresh mind set and thinking outside of the box. • Our District Municipalities are best placed to deliver Housing functions as some of our category B municipalities do not have the capacity nor will it be sustainable for some to increase the capacity hence the decision of a Shared services.

20. Conclusion • PixleykaSeme District Municipality has been a District at work never been fazed by the massive challenges and we are still Ready and willing to Serve its community in the provisioning of proper Human Settlements in an accelerated way. Thank you