COGTA advances draft bill to boost accountability in local government

By Thapelo Molefe

The Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) has made progress in enhancing oversight and accountability in intergovernmental relations.

This after agreeing on a draft framework for the Intergovernmental Monitoring, Support, and Interventions (IMSI) Bill of 2023.

The committee met this week to deliberate on the Bill, which was officially introduced in Parliament on 15 April.

It will ensure that national and provincial governments provide coordinated and effective support to municipalities in need.

The Bill recognises the importance of catalytic projects under the District Development Model (DDM), particularly in traditional areas.

It also aims to tackle ongoing problems with government interventions under sections 100 and 139 of the Constitution.

These sections allow national or provincial governments to intervene when a province or municipality fails to carry out its executive duties, enabling the minister or national government to step in, restore stability and ensure service delivery