Premier Mandla Ndlovu.
Mpumalanga Premier Mandla Ndlovu convened the Premier’s Coordinating Forum (PCF) on March 31.
The PCF is bringing together provincial departments and municipalities to align government plans and improve service delivery across the province.
Ndlovu said the PCF serves as a key intergovernmental platform, uniting MECs and Executive Mayors to strengthen coordination between provincial and local government.
The meeting focused on critical service delivery, infrastructure, and institutional challenges linked to the priorities of the 7th Administration, with the aim of improving socio-economic conditions in Mpumalanga. Several reports were presented, including findings from the Public Protector on service delivery complaints,”
Ndlovu added that the Public Protector’s report revealed investigations into 42 complaints involving provincial departments and 77 involving municipalities. Key issues identified included poor service delivery, water shortages, housing allocation challenges, infrastructure backlogs, billing system inefficiencies, sewer blockages, and administrative failures.
The forum emphasised that the Public Protector’s remedial actions are legally binding and highlighted delays in communication as a major concern. As a result the PCF resolved to improve response times to ensure efficient handling of investigations.
Ndlovu added that municipal debt was another pressing issue discussed. Government departments were identified as significant contributors to unpaid municipal bills, particularly for water and electricity.
The PCF urged departments to settle outstanding debts promptly and called on municipalities to strengthen credit control and debt collection measures, including targeting businesses.
The forum also addressed escalating Eskom debt among municipalities. A Distribution Agency Agreement was proposed to assist municipalities in managing electricity operations and improving revenue collection.
Five municipalities have been earmarked for this intervention, with further engagements planned.
Local Economic Development initiatives were highlighted as vital for job creation and economic growth.
Key projects, including special economic zones and industrial parks, are expected to generate thousands of jobs.
However, disruptions by informal business forums in some municipalities were flagged as a threat, prompting plans for stronger law enforcement action.
Additional resolutions included the phased transfer of library services to provincial government and the approval of a tourism safety strategy aimed at boosting visitor confidence and sustaining Mpumalanga’s tourism sector.
