Pretoria – Deputy Minister Pinky Kekana believes that the District Development Model (DDM) remains the apex priority programme for a cohesive future.
Deputy Minister Kekana, speaking at the he South African Local Government Association (SALGA) Gauteng Provincial Members Assembly on Thursday at the Maropeng Conference Centre, stressed the urgent need to accelerate and institutionalize the DDM’s implementation. The SALGA PMA is a constitutional meeting of all municipalities within a specific province in South Africa. It serves as a platform for representatives from all municipalities to gather, discuss key challenges and drive the strategy agenda of local government within that province.
The DDM, a concept that aims to move away from a “fragmented approach to development,” is the mechanism through which government will be brought closer to the people to enhance cooperative governance. The core aspirations of the model are to bring to life “the people shall govern,” deliver cohesive, vibrant, and safe communities, and achieve these goals through the DDM.
Overcoming Structural Challenges
Acknowledging that local government challenges are structural, systematic, and financial, the Deputy Minister stated that the solutions lie in implementing the District Development Plan. As a DDM champion for the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality, the Deputy Minister’s mandate from the President involves several key areas:
• Delivering key economic infrastructure projects to stimulate and diversify the economy.
• Immediate local government stabilization and institutional strengthening actions.
• Promoting transparency and accountability in the DDM’s implementation.
• Overseeing the development and implementation of District Plans (One Plan).
• Unlocking any blockages that delay the DDM’s implementation or impede community development.
• Ensuring initiatives to combat Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and promote Gender Mainstreaming in the economy.
Redesigning Local Government
To resolve the difficulties local government practitioners are facing in institutionalizing the DDM, Kekana called for active participation in the review of the White Paper on Local Government. The main objective of this review is to redesign the architecture of Local Government and rectify outcomes that have negatively affected its functioning and development.
This review is anticipated to be presented to Cabinet and Parliament in 2026 and will seek to improve the financial, operational, institutional, and governance sustainability of local government. The Deputy Minister concluded by reminding councillors that “Local government is in our hands,” and the people of Gauteng depend on them to improve their lives and build better communities.
