Exec mayors could be history
2010-01-20 08:05
Pretoria - The government wants to scrap the executive mayor system as part of an attempt to overhaul local government in the country.
According to the turnaround strategy for local government, compiled by the department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, scrapping the post of executive mayor is one of the 36 amendments to the law on the agenda to improve municipal governance and structures. The Cabinet accepted this document on December 2.
Brian Sokutu, ANC spokesperson, confirmed on Tuesday that the governing party is currently discussing the document, but wouldn't elaborate.
The ANC's national executive committee did accept a ten-point turnaround strategy for municipalities at its lekgotla over the past weekend, but says it will be discussed with their alliance partners, Cosatu and the SACP, in April.
'Mayors will resist'
Professor Dirk Kotzé, political science lecturer at Unisa, on Tuesday said the government and the ANC probably don't want to focus all the attention on the plan, because it expects vehement resistance from mayors with established interests in its own ranks.
"Many people consider the position of mayor to be the beginning of a political career."
In its recent analysis of problems at municipal level, the government pointed out that political leadership "leaves much to be desired", said Kotzé.
This leads to disconnection between the local authorities and the community, and even rioting at times.
Possibilities
Kotzé feels that less power for mayors could create room for the establishment of a professional bureaucracy. Paralysing power struggles between mayors and municipal managers are currently a common occurrence.
An alternative is for executive powers to be divided between officials with a ceremonial mayor.
Another possibility is an executive committee with collective responsibility, of which the position of chair is rotated annually.
Willem Doman, DA spokesperson for co-operative governance, said the DA would welcome the scrapping of executive mayors. According to him, many of them behave like mini royals and there is too much power in one person's hands.