Civil Society Leaders in Nelson Mandela Bay in the Eastern Cape say transparency and oversight by all stakeholders is the only way the Section 154 intervention by national government can bring about meaningful change in the metro. The Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs COGTA is deploying a 10-person support team to help address the citys governance, service delivery, and economic challenges.
The intervention follows a formal request from the municipality for assistance to deal with challenges. COGTA Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa facilitated a stakeholder engagement on Saturday between the metro and the Civil Society Coalition to discuss collaboration and strategy. Chairperson of the Civil Society Coalition, Monga Peter says following the engagement, they are optimistic of their inclusion in the process.
Given how it was in the past constituted, this thing is inward looking, it doesnt speak to what the inward is doing and all of that so transparency becomes one issue and also it excludes the non-state formations like us in terms of the oversight hence then we are encouraged in the outcome of this meeting which has since recognised and accepted a need to include us in the oversight.
