The Institute of Race Relations (IRR) will be publishing a short report this week showing the value-for-money common ground between the major parties, and the scope in hung councils across the country for their putting politics aside to “work towards serving the interests of residents”.
South Africans are entitled to local government that treats public money with care and buys the best goods and services it can for every rand spent.
Against this background, parties are challenged to declare:
What, if any, value-for-money commitment they have made, and
How they aim to achieve their value-for-money goals.
The report, authored by IRR researcher Chris Patterson, argues that parties are broadly aligned on the problems facing municipalities, and have proposed solutions to them.
Patterson says: “The report illustrates that the major political parties share a common goal in achieving value for money. Voters across the country live with the real consequences of the failure to achieve value-for-money spending – in the potholes scarring roads, not being sure the lights will come on, and having to drink store-bought water because the taps have run dry.”
The public’s desire for effective, efficient and economical spending is paramount.
IRR polling shows that 8 in 10 South Africans want government to procure goods and services on a value-for-money basis.
The report will be launched with a webinar discussion starting at 10am on Thursday 12 November. Chris Patterson will be joined by John Endres, IRR CEO, Hermann Pretorius, IRR Head of Strategic Communications, Ofentse Donald Davhie, CRA Research Associate, and Terence Corrigan, IRR Projects and Publications Manager.
To join, go to: https://streamyard.com/watch/CXQ5TUKi8EBX
[Image: by chernikovatv]