5 March 2022

The South African Communist Party (SACP) congratulates the South African Local Government Association (SALGA) for its successful 6^th National Conference held in Western Cape Province at the Cape Town International Convention Centre from 2 - 4 March 2022.

The SACP welcomes the elected National Executive Committee collective and is humbled by the election of our SACP Provincial Secretary in the Free State, Comrade Charles Stofile, as the new President of SALGA.

The SACP urges the new leadership to place the interests of communities at the centre of its efforts to represent, promote and support local government within the integrated overall system of government. The lower voter turnout at the recent local government elections, especially amongst working-class and poor communities is indicative of rising levels of hopelessness due to a deepening crisis of unemployment, poverty, inequality, underdevelopment, as well as unabated maladministration and corruption at local government. These are amongst the challenges the new leadership must work with communities, political and administrative leadership of municipalities to confront and address.

The transformation of the local government sector is a complex but necessary task which the new collective must carry out selflessly and wholeheartedly, to reposition the sector to deliver quality services and development initiatives consistently. The SACP hopes the new leadership and all relevant stakeholders will work cooperatively to build functional and responsive municipalities that restore confidence in local government as a sphere of government directly in contact with communities. The SACP will actively play its role in support of all efforts by the new collective under the leadership of SALGA President, Charles Stofile.