National and Provincial Working Groups

Working Groups

SALGA’s programs are driven through its working groups, whilst the National Executive Committee plays a crucial role in overseeing the overall activities of SALGA. The working groups act as the policy and strategic engine of the organisation and serve as an important platform for the communication and coordination between SALGA national, provinces and municipalities.

The main purpose of working groups is to encourage, ensure and promote local government matters which, include:

  • Cooperative governance;
  • Consultation and coordination; and
  • Participative decision-making.

The working groups, within their derived mandate, must develop policies, strategies and programmes to address critical local government issues.

Working groups serve as a forum through which organized local government can consult on a political level in order to contribute towards the creation of democratic and economically viable local government.

SALGA has six established working groups and their functions are as follows:

1. Economic Development, Planning and Environment Working Group

  • Integrated development planning (IDPs, GDS, NSDP);
  • Town planning and land use management;
  • ASGISA and JIPSA
  • Tourism;
  • Air pollution, environmental and waste management;
  • Local economic development;
  • ICT (as it relates to economic development), and
  • Climate change and local agenda 21.

2. Municipal Finance and Corporate Administration Working Group

  • Intergovernmental fiscal policies;
  • Municipal finance;
  • Credit control;
  • Revenue generation;
  • Municipal finance management;
  • Municipal capital projects;
  • Infrastructure investment;
  • Internal human resources;
  • Risk management;
  • Compliance management;
  • Administration and facilities;
  • Occupational health and safety, and
  • Communications.

3. Social Development, Health and Safety Working Group

  • HIV/Aids awareness;
  • Sports and recreation;
  • Health;
  • Poverty alleviation;
  • Arts and culture;
  • Public safety:
    • local crime prevention;
    • disaster management;
    • policing and law enforcement;
    • emergency and fire services;
  • Youth development programmes;
  • Gender mainstreaming, and
  • Disability.

4. Municipal Infrastructure and Services Working Group

  • Water and sanitation services;
  • Energy and electricity;
  • Municipal entities;
  • Housing;
  • Transport;
  • Basic service provision and infrastructure;
  • Cemeteries, and
  • Public works.

5. Human Resource Development Working Group

  • HIV/Aids policy at the workplace;
  • Labour relations matters;
  • Capacity development;
  • LGSETA;
  • Organisational development: LR implications;
  • Restructuring of municipalities, and
  • Institutional issues relating to municipal service partnerships.

6. Governance, Intergovernmental Relations and International Relations Working Group

  • Constitutional matters;
  • Local government legislation;
  • Powers and functions of municipalities;
  • Traditional leaders;
  • Intergovernmental relations policy issues;
  • Demarcation issues;
  • Elections;
  • Municipal bylaws;
  • Public participation;
  • Roles of elected municipal representatives;
  • Research and comparative learning;
  • Councillor support e.g. remuneration issues;
  • Municipal international relations;
  • Role of SALGA on the continent;
  • Support for organised local government on the continent;
  • United Cities and Local Governments of Africa (UCLGA), UCLG, Southern African Development Community (SADC), New Partnership for Africa’s Development (Nepad), African Union (AU) imperatives, and
  • Parliamentary and legislation matters.