The Minister for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), Mr Masenyani Richard Baloyi has received a report by the Eastern Cape MEC for Local Government and Traditional Affairs, Mr Mlibo Qoboshiyane.

The report depicts a picture of progress from a Municipality in distress - to a Municipality on her way to becoming a well-oiled service delivery machinery. The Municipality was put under administration in terms of section 139(1) (b) of the Constitution following a request to that effect by the then Council after consistent negative audit reports and a general collapse of governance and administration.

 National teams led by both CoGTA and the National Treasury, the provincial Local Government and Traditional Affairs and the SRVLM officials started work on the 23^rd of February 2010 to date. The plausible results are today visible.

 In expressing his gratitude and profound appreciation of the strides made, Minister Baloyi said that:

“The outcome of the section 139 intervention in the Sundays River Valley Municipality confirms our conviction that working together we can do more. This is so particularly because this provincial intervention was a response to an invitation by the then SVRLM Mayor and councillors who, on their own initiative, realized the need for external assistance within the context of cooperative governance as espoused by our constitutional order. This gives us confidence and courage to forge ahead in the belief that the nascent arena of local government will indeed be turned around to become our common pride as a rudimentary organ of the people’s government.”

The MEC for Local Government and Traditional Affairs, Mr Mlibo Qoboshiyane’s report noted further that “SRVM has a lot of potential to grow from where it is now however technical support is still further needed in Finance and Corporate Services.”

The CoGTA, National Treasury and their provincial counterparts will therefore remain seized with the situation and developments in the municipality as we together strive to ensure that we all can ultimately declare proudly and say “My Municipality, my service - My councillor, my local partner”.