Picture: The Chairperson of the Committee, Dr Zweli Mkhize
By KEDIBONE MOLAETSI
1 April 2026 – The Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) this week concluded the public submissions process on the Intergovernmental Monitoring, Support and Interventions (IMSI) Bill. The IMSI Bill aims to tighten laws on national and provincial government support and interventions in municipalities.
The Chairperson of the Committee, Dr Zweli Mkhize said it seeks to remedy the challenges often experienced during interventions and provides clear rules for monitoring performance, defines what “executive obligations” are, and sets out the support or corrective steps that must occur before and during an intervention. Mkhize said the Bill also introduces systems to identify early warning indicators so that problems can be addressed before they become crises.
“The constitution already allows national and provincial governments to intervene when a province or municipality fails to deliver municipal services such as water and electricity.
“However, procedures for doing this have often been unclear, leading to disagreements about when, how and why interventions should occur,” he said.
Mkhize further said the committee on Tuesday heard oral submissions from stakeholders, including the South African Local Government Association, Kwenzokuhle Community Organisation, the Commission for Gender Equality, Afriforum, the Public Affairs Research Institute and political parties such as the Economic Freedom Fighters. He added that it noted that the wide range of views received will help strengthen the legislation and improve its effectiveness.
“The committee was not yet at a stage where it could indicate whether it agreed with, supported or rejected any of the submissions. Instead, the purpose of the engagement was to gather views from various stakeholders and use them to refine the Bill.
“This will enable the committee to help close possible gaps, clear up confusion and ensure that the legislation is as clear and robust as possible,” said Mkhize.
He said the committee noted that the various stakeholders had approached the Bill from very different angles. Mkhize said some argued that the Bill is necessary and timely, while others questioned whether it adds anything new to what is already provided for in law.
“The committee found these opposing perspectives valuable because they would help it weigh the full spectrum of views and, as far as possible, address concerns. Among the key issues raised during the submissions was the question of resources.
“Some stakeholders asked whether sufficient resources would be available to support the interventions envisaged in the Bill and whether the legislative framework would be matched by practical capacity on the ground,” he said.
The Guardian 