Deputy Minister Namane Dickson Masemola says improved leadership, accountability and stronger consequence management are driving better service delivery in the metro.
KUGOMPO CITY- The National Deputy Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), Dr. Namane Dickson Masemola, says Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality (BCMM) has made notable progress in improving governance and service delivery following a Municipal Performance Turnaround Outreach held at the East London International Convention Centre (ICC) on 16 July in KuGompo City.
Dr. Masemola, accompanied by Eastern Cape MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Zolile Williams, led the outreach as part of government’s nationwide ‘Every Municipality Must Work’ campaign, aimed at strengthening municipalities, improving service delivery and promoting good governance.
The engagement brought together political and administrative leadership from BCMM, provincial government representatives and key stakeholders to assess the municipality’s performance, review progress made under its turnaround plan and identify areas where further support is required.
A key focus of the discussions was the implementation of Section 154 of the Constitution, which obliges national and provincial government to support municipalities in building their capacity to deliver services effectively.
Addressing delegates, Masemola said the municipality had made significant progress since his previous visit.
“The situation in Buffalo City has improved significantly since our difficult visit last year. The progress made demonstrates that focused leadership, cooperation and accountability can restore confidence in local government,” he said.
He cautioned, however, that sustained progress depends on stable leadership and effective management.
“If the leadership is unfocused or unstable and those charged with management responsibilities are unable to work together, no plan will ever succeed in meeting its objectives,” Masemola said.
Buffalo City Executive Mayor Cllr. Princess Faku attributed the municipality’s improvements to stronger teamwork, disciplined management and continuous monitoring of service delivery programmes.
“We have improved service delivery through hard work, teamwork and strong management. We have monitored every step of the process to ensure that residents receive better municipal services,” she said.
The outreach also examined municipal functionality, governance challenges, accountability measures and interventions required to strengthen institutional performance. Stakeholders discussed practical solutions to improve operational efficiency, infrastructure sustainability and the delivery of reliable basic services to communities.
MEC Williams praised Buffalo City for strengthening consequence management and holding officials accountable for financial misconduct.
“Buffalo City ranks among the six municipalities that have been strict on consequence management. Their strong performance in this area is evident, with officials implicated in irregular and wasteful expenditure being held accountable through investigations and disciplinary processes, leading to noticeable improvements in service delivery,” Williams said.
The outreach concluded with government reaffirming its commitment to supporting Buffalo City through coordinated action across all spheres of government.
Held under the theme ‘Every Municipality Must Work’, the programme sought to strengthen governance, improve accountability and accelerate service delivery to ensure residents receive efficient and sustainable municipal services.
By: Okuhle Nqana
20 July 2026
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