Durban - Government is expecting a leadership with new vision when the South African Local Government Association (Salga) elects its national executive committee this week.
The 4th Salga National Conference got underway in Durban at the International Convention Centre on Tuesday and will run until Thursday.
An estimated 2 500 delegates will be attending the conference that will reflect on the progress made by Salga in recent years.
Challenges faced by the sector during its term will also be raised and Salga's organisational financial performance will be reviewed.
On the subject of its national executive committee election, Acting Minister for Cooperative Governance ad Traditional Affairs, Nathi Mthethwa, said Salga should emerge with a leadership collective that will first and foremost work as a team.
"We are expecting a leadership with a new vision and one that is made up of men and women of integrity whose character is informed by principles of service to the people of South Africa, unity above all and social cohesion.
"A leadership that will, at all times, work for the common good of the sector, its members and remain accountable to its constituencies," said Mthethwa.
After the opening session, Salga signed a Memorandum of Understanding with two internationally recognised sister associations, the National Leagues of Cities (NLC) and Deutscher Stadtetag (DST).
Salga is mandated to raise the profile of government nationally and internationally. NLC is an association that represents 1 600 urban and rural member cities in the USA, while DST is the German Association of Cites established in 1905.
"The purpose of the MOUs is to strengthen the relationship between respective Associations and municipalities. It will promote partnerships and peer learning and support lobbying and institutional capacity building efforts," Salga said in a statement.
The collaboration also means that South African municipalities can draw on expertise in areas such as municipal finance, economic development, climate change and social development.
Salga added that the United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP17) will also be discussed in relation to how municipalities will become involved in the all-important meeting taking place in Durban later this year.
