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IMGL7753 Political posters displayed are during by-elections at Mnamfu in Umzumbe Ward 19, KwaZulu-Natal south coast. File photo: SANDILE NDLOVU Image: SANDILE NDLOVU
While hiring additional engineers and finance professionals will go far towards addressing SA’s dire skills shortage, the fundamental problems in our municipal management must be addressed. That is the appointment of corrupt and incompetent officials by political interests. For this reason I do not believe that the BER’s recommendation of enabling national government intervention will bear much fruit.
Rather, municipalities should be depoliticised as much as possible. Functions that can be privatised, must be. Crucial infrastructure and administrative functions are not working in many municipalities. In cases of chronic incompetence by the public sector the national government can intervene to implement one thing: privatisation.
A transparent privatisation process, prioritising competence, cost saving and clean audits, must be undertaken to privatise as much of these failing municipal functions as possible. Where possible, multiple competitors should be allowed. The public money gained and saved from this process can then be used to settle municipal debts.
The private sector is inherently more competent and accountable than municipalities. Municipal governments can only be held accountable once every election cycle, and the perverse, emotional nature of elections prevent voters from holding these officials truly accountable.
A private business has to perform well daily, or they lose revenue. They have to perform their function properly, or they will be replaced.
We mustn’t just put a stop to political meddling in municipalities. If we want to see these troublesome municipalities finally become fixed, they should be replaced with private enterprises that are truly incentivised to do a good job.
Nicholas Woode-Smith Cape Town
JOIN THE DISCUSSION: Send us an email with your comments to letters@businesslive.co.za. Letters of more than 300 words will be edited for length. Anonymous correspondence will not be published. Writers should include a daytime telephone number.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
LETTER: Depoliticise municipalities
Image: SANDILE NDLOVU
The recommendation by the Bureau for Economic Research (BER) that political interference in municipalities must be stopped is welcome, but we should go further (“Fix local government to drive growth and investment, BER urges”, January 6).
While hiring additional engineers and finance professionals will go far towards addressing SA’s dire skills shortage, the fundamental problems in our municipal management must be addressed. That is the appointment of corrupt and incompetent officials by political interests. For this reason I do not believe that the BER’s recommendation of enabling national government intervention will bear much fruit.
Rather, municipalities should be depoliticised as much as possible. Functions that can be privatised, must be. Crucial infrastructure and administrative functions are not working in many municipalities. In cases of chronic incompetence by the public sector the national government can intervene to implement one thing: privatisation.
A transparent privatisation process, prioritising competence, cost saving and clean audits, must be undertaken to privatise as much of these failing municipal functions as possible. Where possible, multiple competitors should be allowed. The public money gained and saved from this process can then be used to settle municipal debts.
The private sector is inherently more competent and accountable than municipalities. Municipal governments can only be held accountable once every election cycle, and the perverse, emotional nature of elections prevent voters from holding these officials truly accountable.
A private business has to perform well daily, or they lose revenue. They have to perform their function properly, or they will be replaced.
We mustn’t just put a stop to political meddling in municipalities. If we want to see these troublesome municipalities finally become fixed, they should be replaced with private enterprises that are truly incentivised to do a good job.
Nicholas Woode-Smith
Cape Town
JOIN THE DISCUSSION: Send us an email with your comments to letters@businesslive.co.za. Letters of more than 300 words will be edited for length. Anonymous correspondence will not be published. Writers should include a daytime telephone number.
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Published by Arena Holdings and distributed with the Financial Mail on the last Thursday of every month except December and January.