Integrated Development Planning

Integrated Development Planning is regulated by Chapter 5 of the Local Government Municipal Systems Act, Act 32 of 2000 (MSA) read together with the Municipal Finance Management Act, Act 56 of 2003 (MFMA).

Section 25(1) of the Municipal Systems Act requires each Municipal Council to adopt a single, inclusive, and strategic plan for the development of the Municipality within a prescribed period after the start of its elected term which is known as the Integrated Development Plan (IDP).

Section 28 of the MSA requires that the Municipal Council adopt a process plan to guide the planning, drafting, adoption and review of its IDP and that the Municipality must through appropriate mechanisms, processes and procedures consult the local community before adopting the process and give notice to the local community of particulars of the process it intends to follow. A Process Plan is therefore only adopted once at the beginning of the IDP cycle.

Section 34 of the Municipal Systems Act requires Municipalities to review their IDP annually in accordance with an assessment of its performance and to the extent that changing circumstances demand. Amendments to the IDP must be done in accordance with the prescribed process.

Section 21 of the (MFMA) requires the mayor of a municipality to co-ordinate the processes for preparing the annual budget and for reviewing the municipality’s integrated development plan and must at least 10 months before the start of the budget year, table a time schedule outlining key deadlines for these processes inclusive of any consultative processes.

Enquiries can be directed to Ms Lindy Valentine at Lindyv@capeagulhas.gov.za

Performance Management

Performance management is regulated by Chapter 6 of the Municipal Systems Act (MSA), Act 32 of 2000 read together with the Municipal Planning and Performance Management Regulations, 796 of August 2001 as well as the Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA), Act 56 of 2003.

Section 38 of the Municipal Systems Act requires municipalities to establish a performance management system. Section 7(1) of the Municipal Planning and Performance Management Regulations states that “A Municipality’s Performance Management System entails a framework that describes and represents how the municipality’s cycle and processes of performance planning, monitoring, measurement, review, reporting and improvement will be conducted, organized and managed, including determining the responsibilities of the different role players.”  This framework, inter alia, reflects the linkage between the IDP, Budget, SDBIP and individual and service provider performance.

A distinction is made between organisational and individual performance. The basis of organisational performance is the approved Top Layer Service Delivery Budget Implementation Plan (SDBIP). Section 1 of the MFMA defines the service delivery and budget implementation plan as: “a detailed plan approved by the mayor of a municipality in terms of Section 53(1)(c)(ii) for implementing the municipality’s delivery of services and the execution of its annual budget.  The SDBIP comprises quarterly, high-level service delivery targets.  It is a public document, which is approved by the Executive Mayor within 28 days of approval of the budget.

Reporting on the Top Layer SDBIP is done to the Mayoral Committee and Council on a quarterly, half yearly (Mid-year Budget and Performance Assessment Report) and annual basis (Annual Report). The Top Layer is also audited by the Auditor General.  Any amendments to the Top Layer SDBIP must be approved by Council following the submission of the Mid-year Budget and Performance Assessment Report and the approval of the adjustment budget.

Departmental SDBIP’s form the basis of individual performance management. The Municipal Systems Act requires the Municipality to conclude performance-based agreements with its Municipal Manager and Managers directly accountable to the Municipal Manager (Section 57-employees) by 30 July of each year. Performance agreements must align to the Top Layer SDBIP. Their performance is reviewed annually.

Enquiries can be directed to Ms Tracey Stone Traceys@capeagulhas.gov.za or Ms Lindy Valentine at Lindyv@capeagulhas.gov.za

Risk management

Section 62(1) of the Local Government: Municipal Finance Management Act, 2003 (Act 56 of 2003) stipulates that the “Accounting Officer must take all reasonable steps to ensure that the municipality has and maintains an effective, efficient and transparent system of financial and risk management and internal control” This legislative prescript coupled with the obligation to ensure that the resources of the municipality are used effectively, efficiently and economically underlie the implementation of risk management at Cape Agulhas Municipality.  Risk management is an organized set of activities and methods that is used to enable the Municipality to control the risks that can affect its ability to achieve its service delivery and governance objectives.

Risk Management is managed in terms of the following:

·         Risk Management Policy

·         Risk Management Strategy

·         Risk management Implementation Plan

The Risk Unit is also responsible for:

·         Business continuity which is the ability of the Municipality to carry out its normal activities and functions after unplanned events have occurred. A business continuity plan ensures that, should a disaster occur, or the workplace is inaccessible, business operations can continue with as little downtime as possible. The Business Continuity Plan (BCP) prepares the Municipality to maintain / restore services in the shortest space of time in the event of service outages caused by factors beyond its control such as natural disasters, pandemics etc.

·         Anti-fraud and corruption. Fraud is wrongful or criminal corruption intended to result in financial or personal gain whereas corruption is a form of dishonesty or criminal offence perpetrated by a person or organization entrusted with a position of authority, to obtain illegal benefit or abuse power for private gain. The Municipality encourages members of the public or providers of goods and/or services who suspect fraud and corruption to contact any member of management, the Municipal Manager and/or the mayor or to the National Corruption and Fraud Hotline on 0800 701 701. Anti-fraud and corruption is managed in terms of the following:

o   Anti-Corruption and Fraud Prevention Policy

o   Anti-Corruption and Fraud Prevention Strategy

o   Anti-Corruption and Fraud Prevention Plan

The Municipality has a Fraud and Risk Management Committee in place (FARMCO).

FARMCO is a high-level advisory body, established to assist the Accounting Officer to fulfil his/her responsibilities for Risk Management as set out in the MFMA, and in accordance with the Public Sector Risk Management Framework and corporate governance principles. FARMCO operates in terms of an approved FARMCO Charter.

Enquiries can be addressed to Mr Nathan Davids at Nathand@capeagulhas.gov.za

Public participation and ward committees

Chapter 4 of the Municipal Systems Act (MSA) requires municipalities to develop a culture of public participation.  It states that a municipality must develop a culture of municipal governance that complements formal representative government with a system of participatory governance.  For this purpose, it must encourage and create conditions for the local community to participate in the affairs of the community.  Participation is required for the following processes:

Our public participation methodology is based on the definition of a Municipality as contained in Section 2 of the Municipal Systems Act that states that a municipality consists of:

o   The political structures of the municipality (Council).

o   The administration of the municipality.

o   The community of the municipality.

Our primary public participation activities comprise:

·         Quarterly ward feedback meetings which are hosted by the Ward Councillor to give feedback on municipal matters.

·         IDP/ Budget Imbizo’s to present the draft budget to the community

·         Other ad hoc meetings that are required from time to time such as housing, Masakhane etc.

Ward Committees are our key public participation mechanism. Ward Committees are elected in terms Sections 72 -78 of the Municipal Structures Act. They have an important representative role to play in bridging the gap between the Municipality, its Council, and the Community.  Ward Committees comprise 10 members. 

The Municipality elected to have sector / organisation based / block based Ward Committees, that is to say the members are sectors / organisations or blocks represented by an individual nominated  individual.

Although they are not political structures, they are coupled to the term of office of the Municipal Council.  The Ward Committees are chaired by the Ward Councillor and have the power to make any recommendations to the Ward Councillor and/or through the Ward Councillor to the local council on any matter affecting the ward.

Public participation functions hand in hand with communication.

For enquiries contact Mr P Valentine at Paulv@capeagulhas.gov.za

Communication

Local government has a legal obligation and a political responsibility to ensure regular and effective communication with the community. The Constitution and other statutory enactments all impose an obligation on local government communicators and require high levels of transparency, accountability, openness, participatory democracy, and direct communication with the communities to improve the lives of all. CAM has therefore established a communication unit to provide an internal and external communication service.

The Municipality has a Communication Strategy and Implementation Plan in place which was reviewed in 2016.

The Municipality has several communication platforms which are detailed below. 

·         Quarterly internal newsletters

·         Biannual external newsletters

·         Facebook

·         Twitter

·         SMS system

·         E-mail newsflashes

·         Radio – Radio Overberg 101.8 FM (Thursdays at 14:00)

·         Municipal website – Municipalities are required to develop and maintain a functional website that displays relevant information as per the requirements of Section 75 of the MFMA and Section 21A and B of the Municipal Systems Act as amended.

·         You Tube

·         My Muni App – app.capeagulhas.gov.za

Additional measures such as flyers, loud hailing etc are used as and when required.

Municipalities are required to develop and maintain a functional website that displays relevant information as per the requirements of Section 75 of the MFMA and Section 21A and B of the Municipal Systems Act as amended.

For enquiries contact Mr G Prins at gurswinp@capeagulhas.gov.za

Client Services

In order to achieve the municipality’s vision and mission, we strive to continuously develop ways to ensure that in dealing with customers we demonstrate our value system based on the National Batho Pele principles which translated means “people first” and emphasises the values of “customers first”.

Our aim is to improve on customer loyalty and customer satisfaction within our municipality by placing all people at the centre of development. Furthermore, whenever customers contact us, we will make sure that they will consistently experience high standards of service excellence.

Customer service is rendered in terms of a Client Services Charter which sets out the service standards that customers are entitled to. Service requests are logged on a central system and a reference is sent by SMS so that requests can be followed up. An SMS is also sent to the customer to inform them when a complaint is closed.

Clients are encouraged to download the My Muni App at app.capeagulhas.gov.za to receive notifications and log service requests

For enquiries contact Mr P Valentine at Paulv@capeagulhas.gov.za

Working hours: Monday to Thursday 8:00-13:00 / 13:00 – 16:30. Friday 8:00-13:00 / 13:00 – 16:00.