District Municipalities [Category C]:
District Municipalities are made up of a number of local municipalities that fall within one are, which is determined as a district. Six Local Municipalities make up the Ugu District. The District Municipality is tasked with the co-ordination of development and service delivery within the entire district. A District Municipality, however, It has its own administration [staff].
The supreme decision making authority of the District Municipality is the Ugu District Municipal Council.
The Ugu District Council comprises two types of Councillors:
- Elected Councillors - are elected for the District Council on a proportional representation ballot by all voters in the area. [40% of the District Councillors]
- Councillors who represent Local Municipalities in the area - are Councillors who are members of Council in their respective Local Municipal Councils. They are nominated by their Local Councils to represent the Local Municipality on the District Council. [60% of the District Councillors]
The Ugu District Municipal Council have the power to:
- Adopt and enforce By-Laws – local laws and regulations about any of the functions they are responsible for. By-laws may not contradict or over-rule any national laws;
- Approve Budgets and Development Plans – every year a municipal budget must be passed that sets down how money will be raised and spent. The Council should approve an overall plan for how development should take place in the area. This is called an Integrated Development Plan [IDP] and all projects and planning should happen within the framework of the IDP;
- Impose Rates, Levies and Other Taxes – It is an important source of income;
- Charge Service Fees – for municipal services like water and sanitation;
- Impose Fines – for anyone who breaks municipal by laws or regulations, for example traffic fines, littering or library fines;
- Borrow Money – the Council may agree to take a loan for a development or other project and to use the municipal assets as surety.
Decisions about most of the above must be made in full Council meetings. Many of the minor decisions that municipalities have to take can be delegated to the Executive Committee, the Portfolio Committees or to officials or other agencies that are contracted to deliver services.
When other agencies deliver services, it is important that the municipal council keeps accountability. Councils have to develop systems to ensure that delegated functions are performed properly and within a clear policy framework. Contracts must be drawn up to ensure that agencies adhere to agreements.
Standing Rules and Order of Council:
All Council meetings are run according to the Rules that are called the Standing Rules and Order of Council and its Committees. These set out how the meeting should be run, how one can propose motions or pass resolutions and how decisions will be made. The Speaker of the Council decides whether anyone is breaking the Standing Rules and Orders and is responsible for keeping order.
The Ugu District Municipal Council is made up of 37 Councillors, which is as follows:
Composition of Council
| AFRICAN NATIONAL CONGRESS (ANC) | ABANTU BATHO CONGRESS (ABC) | DEMOCRATIC ALLIANCE (DA) | INKATHA FREEDOM PARTY (IFP) | ECONOMIC FREEDOM FIGHTERS (EFF) |
19
| 0
| 5 | 9 | 4
|