Women for mayor: the Way forward?

By Tumi Makgetla

January 24, 2006 - (Mail & Guardian) Of Gauteng’s 15 municipalities, only those led by women -- Lesedi, Midvaal, Westonaria and the West Rand -- received unqualified audit reports for 2003/04 “It is encouraging that the four municipalities that have performed with regard to their finances are led by woman mayors,” says Gauteng local government minister Qedani Dorothy Mahlangu. “It will also spurn the notion that women are not capable of being mayors, speakers or municipal managers, and is a sign of encouragement for more women to play a leading role in local government.”

The World Bank says the level of corruption is lower when the influence of women in public life is greater. A 2001 World Bank report, which takes into account factors such as constitutionally entrenched rights to equality, shows that corruption declines as the proportion of parliamentary seats held by women rises. Systemic discrimination against large segments of the population narrows perspectives, inspires distrust and jeopardises development prospects, says the study.

Including women in governance also brings new perspectives into decision-making. A survey of women in political office in 65 countries, conducted by the Inter-Parliamentary Union in 2000, indicates that women are more likely to advocate for groups that have been historically excluded from formal politics.

In South Africa in 2004, women made up 29% of municipal councillors, but only 18 of the 284 municipal managers were women. Last year, the South African Local Government Association resolved to ensure equal gender representation and participation in municipalities by launching the 50/50 by 2005: Get the Balance Right campaign.

Westonaria mayor Maserame Khumalo was not available for interview.

West Rand District Municipality

Before becoming the mayor of the West Rand District Municipality, Sister Bernard Ncube (right) spent eight years as a member of Parliament and was a member of the portfolio committee on provincial and local government. “My first duty was to bring the administrative wing closer to the political wing, and the political wing closer to the administrative wing,” she says. “Where a speaker cannot speak to the mayor or the mayor to the chief whip, you have a problem.

“At the local municipal level, there was no guidance on how to overhaul the apartheid municipality,” says Ncube. The municipal systems and infrastructure Acts were relatively new and there was uncertainty around the different functions within the municipality. “We really worked hard to work out each portfolio. At the level of finance -- what is their duty? How do they function?”

Structures to help local governments in the district collaborate with each other were established under her administration. The municipality set up separate mayors’ and speakers’ forums to discuss how they might collaborate while retaining the independence of their constituent municipalities. Ncube sees integrated development plans as being critical to effective governance because “without a budget, there is no plan”. She says ward committees are important in creating these plans because they help the municipality to identify the community’s needs. “If you put the people first, I think you’ll definitely be a success,” she comments. And, she says, the success of her municipality is based on a committed administrative department.

Midvaal Local Municipality

Fiscal discipline is essential to deliver services in Gauteng’s largest municipality, says Midvaal mayor Marti Wenger (right). “We have to drive 70km to fix one pothole; urban areas have to drive 1km to fix 70 potholes.” She says everyone who works for her is held strictly accountable for their budgets and performance management is taken seriously and not viewed as a bonus system. “We try to run the council as a business,” says Wenger.

The municipality has been selected as one of the top 300 empowerment companies by the directory Impumelelo: South Africa’s Top Empowerment Companies. Wenger says the accolade indicates their efforts to improve employment equity have also fostered a capable administration. Wenger says she strives to keep morale high by playing a hands-on role and maintains active oversight through an open-door policy. “You don’t have to make appointments if my diary is not full,” she says. “You can’t be in your little ivory tower.”

In a large municipality, Wenger has had to contend with differing political perspectives. “We come historically from different backgrounds and I think it’s something that we continually work on. I want Midvaal to be somewhere where we strive for balance.”

Lesedi Local Municipality

The municipality is successful because it involves its constituents in prioritising municipal projects, says Lesedi mayor Busiswe Modisakeng (right). “We take the mandate from them,” she says. According to municipal regulations, municipalities must produce integrated development plans, which are strategic plans based on community participation with clear budget allocations. An “open-door policy” is a way in which Modisakeng ensures that the government is responsive to community needs. She makes herself available to community members to resolve their concerns about service delivery. She says political infighting does not hamper the municipality’s efforts, because the community is relatively small and undivided. Fifteen of the 21 councillors are from the African National Congress and four from the Democratic Alliance. There are no opposition members on the mayoral committee, but they consult the opposition to reach consensus before putting matters before the council.

Modisakeng was mayor of the Heidelberg Town Council from 1995 and has been mayor of Lesedi Local Municipality since 2000, when Heidelberg was incorporated into Lesedi. The municipality was selected as a finalist in the Vuna Awards for excellence in government in 2004.

From: http://www.mg.co.za/articlePage.aspx?articleid=262178&area=/insight/monitor/