IFP DEPLORES ANC'S RECENTRALISATION OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT

April 21, 2006

The IFP notes with great concern the decision of the national government to impose national standards on several competences, particularly housing, previously held by local government.

"The ANC's response to the crisis in local government has been a plethora of service targets, inspection regimes and national standards," said IFP Whip Geoffrey Bhengu MPP during the Debate on Local Government at the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Parliament.

The IFP believes that targets and standards do work, but they work best when properly focused around clearly defined outcomes. They work least when there are too many of them and when they inhibit the ability of local services to innovate in meeting local needs.

"We in the IFP find it hard to imagine that the ruling party, given its corporatist and interventionist credentials, would approach the subject of targets and national standards with the necessary caution it requires while it strives to recentralise some of local government's housing competences," said Bhengu.

The IFP raises concern about the government's recentralisation drive as a matter of principle. "In the last couple of years the direction worldwide has been towards greater devolution in local government. The quest is on for policies that can enshrine a more localised agenda,"
said Bhengu.

Contact: Geoffrey Bhengu, 084 555 3513