OUR SERVICE CHARTER

WHO WE ARE
Impendle Local Municipality is one of the smallest Municipalities in the Country. In terms of Section 9 of the Municipal Structures Act, 117 of 1998 the Impendle Local Municipality falls under Category B. Category B Municipalities (Local) share executive and legislative authority with Category C municipalities (District) within whose area they are located (as defined in Section 155 (1) of the Constitution (Act 108 of 1996)).
The Impendle Local Municipality as a Local Government is mandated by the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa to: a) Provide democratic and accountable government for local communities;
b) To ensure the provision of services to communities in a sustainable manner;
c) To promote social and economic development;
d) To promote safe and healthy environment;
e) To encourage the involvement of communities and community organizations in the matters of local government.
VISION
“A better life for all people of Impendle through provision of sustainable access to basic services and promotion of social and economic development”
MISSION
Impendle Municipality will strive for the realization of the vision through its Integrated Development Plan, Back to Basics and the Batho Pele principles by:
  • Facilitating delivery of appropriate services and community facilities within acceptable norms and standards;
  • Creating sustainable job opportunities and facilitating growth in the local economy;
  • Creating opportunities for self-advancement for previously disadvantaged members of the community;
  • Facilitating environmentally sustainable development and enhancement of the quality of the environment;
  • Building a responsive, caring and accountable Local Government; and creating an enabling environment for everyone to play a meaningful role in the affairs of the Municipality.
RIGHTS OF MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY
To reinforce accountability, openness and responsiveness, the Municipal Systems Act of 2000 (Systems Act) creates corresponding rights and duties for the members of the community. Municipalities must ensure that the rights are enjoyed and duties exercised.
In terms of Section 5(1) of the Systems Act, members of the local community have the right:

a) Through mechanisms and in accordance with processes and procedures provided for in terms of this Act or other applicable legislation to:
i) Contribute to the decision-making processes
ii) Submit written or oral recommendations, representations and complaints
b) to prompt responses to their written or oral communications …
c) to be informed of decisions … affecting their rights
d) to regular disclosure of the state of affairs of the municipality, including its finances
e) to demand that the proceedings of the municipal council and those of its committees must be
i) open to the public, subject to section 20
ii) Conducted impartially and without prejudice; an
iii) untainted by personal self-interest
f) to the use and enjoyment of public facilities; and
g) To have access to municipal services which the municipality provides, provided the duties set out in subsection (2) (b) are complied with.
DUTIES OF MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY
In terms of Section 5(2) of the Systems Act, Section members of the local community have the duty:
a) when exercising their rights, to observe the mechanisms, processes and procedures of the municipality; b) where applicable, and subject to section 97(1)(c), to pay promptly service fees, surcharges on fees, rates on property and other taxes, levies and duties imposed by the municipality;
c) to respect the municipal rights of other members of the local community;
d) to allow municipal officials reasonable access to their property for the performance of municipal functions; and
e) To comply with by-laws of the municipality applicable to them.
Since local government is the sphere of government closest to the people, municipalities are the key to successful service delivery. Municipalities are bound by the obligations in the Constitution to respect, protect, promote and fulfil the different socioeconomic rights.
OUR COMMITMENT STANDARDS
The Impendle Local Municipality commits itself to serve its customers as envisioned by the Batho Pele Principles in the White Paper on the Transformation of the Public Service (1997) as follows:
1. CONSULTATION: We undertake to consult our customers on the level and quality of services as well as development required to continue improving living conditions of our communities;
a) Hold Mayoral Izimbizo IDP & Budget Roadshows
b) Hold IDP Consultative meetings
c) Strengthen community structures like, Ward AIDS Committees, Youth Forums, Senior Citizens Forums and People living with disability Forums etc
d) Ensure work relation with stakeholders through Sukuma Sakhe, Traditional Council, Taxi Association, Rate Payers, IDAMASA etc.
e) Publish for public comments, the Draft IDP, Draft Budget and Draft Annual Report or any other document that legislation may prescribe for publication or Council deems it necessary for good governance.
f) Members of the public are encouraged to attend the Council meeting
g) Establish and ensure functionality of Ward Committees
2. SERVICE STANDARDS: When phoning the offices of the Msunduzi Municipality or our Customer Services offices, we shall ensure: a) TELEPHONE CALLS
  • Hold Mayoral Izimbizo IDP & Budget Roadshows
  • Hold IDP Consultative meetings
  • Strengthen community structures like, Ward AIDS Committees, Youth Forums, Senior Citizens Forums and People living with disability Forums etc
  • Ensure work relation with stakeholders through Sukuma Sakhe, Traditional Council, Taxi Association, Rate Payers, IDAMASA etc
  • Publish for public comments, the Draft IDP, Draft Budget and Draft Annual Report or any other document that legislation may prescribe for publication or Council deems it necessary for good governance.
  • Members of the public are encouraged to attend the Council meeting
  • Establish and ensure functionality of Ward Committees
3. ACCESS: All Citizens will have equal access to services rendered .In this regard:
  • All offices will be accessible to the physically challenged.
  • Discrimination on the grounds of culture, race, gender and sexual orientation will not be tolerated.
  • We will strive to make our services equitably available to all citizens including those from disadvantaged communities.
  • Treat everyone with consideration and respect by showing friendliness and care when serving a customer.
4. COURTESY: We will endeavor to treat all our customers with courtesy and consideration.
  • Customers will be greeted and addressed in a friendly manner.
  • Rude, impolite and discourteous attitudes and behavior will not be tolerated.
5. INFORMATION: The Impendle Local Municipality recognizes and is committed to fulfilling its constitutional obligation to
  • Foster a culture of transparency and accountability in its affairs by giving effect to the right of access to information.
  • Actively promote an enabling environment in which requesters have effective access to information..
  • We will publish our approved IDP, Budget, Annual report, SDBIP and customer Service Charter for public information.
6. OPENNESS AND TRANSPARENCY: We do recognize that openness and transparency are the cornerstones of our democracy. In this regard
  • We will engage our stakeholders / Customers in preparation particularly of our Budget and IDP every year
  • Run the Municipality with the spirit of openness and transparency.
  • Hold meetings with local stakeholders as per need
7. VALUE FOR MONEY: We shall endeavor to use public resources efficiently, effectively and economically. In this regard we will;
  • Simplify systems, processes and procedures to eliminate wastage and inefficiency.
  • Strictly apply performance management systems to enhance productivity.
  • Identify risk areas and manage them carefully
  • Endeavour for best utilization of resources at our disposal
  • Procure goods and services to the best advantage of the Municipality within the applicable statutes.
  • Strengthen management and control to prevent fraud, corruption and mal-administration.
  • Treat any information on fraud and corruption seriously
8. SERVICE DELIVERY IMPACT: We shall endeavor to assess the impact of our services to the customer on regular intervals and ascertain whether we are achieving our specified objectives. In this regard we will:
  • Evaluate the organizational performance based on an annual performance plan on a quarterly basis
  • Review the performance of the Municipal Manager and Managers reporting directly to the Municipal manager on an annual basis
  • Review the Strategic Plan implementation yearly (IDP Review)
  • Prepare the Annual Report as prescribed.
9. REDRESS: We respect the right of citizens to complain if our services are interrupted or unsatisfactory; in this regard we will,
  • Make available to our customers to express their dissatisfaction
  • Establish a Rapid Response Team to track redress on service delivery issues and complaints.
  • We undertake to investigate and respond to written complaints submitted via the Speaker’s office within 10 days of receipt either confirming action has been take, or committing to attend to the complaint within a particular period or explaining why the municipality is not in a position to attend to the complaint
9.1 COMPLAINTS: A complaint, in this regard, shall mean an expression of dissatisfaction with a service provided. It shall not be taken to mean fault breakdown of service or other information reports.
  • Complaint can be made by letter, fax, email, telephone or in person.
  • Community can make use of suggestion boxes placed at Reception, Library and Thusong
Key complaints information includes: complainants details – name, address, contact and date

Acknowledgement of receipt – it will be done by using a preferred method of communication within three working days.

Timeframes – the complaint will be resolved as quickly as possible. The length of time will depend on the issues involved. If it is impossible to reach a prompt conclusion, the committee will contact the complainant with an explanation and set out expected timescales by which the matter should be resolved.

Investigation – a complaint should be investigated to determine the validity and the root cause of a complaint.

Resolution – the committee will quickly and efficiently respond to complaint in a fair and objective way and inform an affected person of the complaint decision and reasons.

Recording complaint data – a complaint register should be maintain.
9.2 RAPID RESPONSE TEAM
delivery complaints and further to liaise with the different and relevant stakeholders in the process of crafting collective solutions to the matters raised.

The office of the Speaker will receive and co-ordinate complaints with respect to the functioning of the ward committees and the councilors. The officials of the Office of the Speaker will direct issues raised at ward committee meetings to the Municipal Manager’s Office.

10. LEADERSHIP AND STRATEGIC DIRECTION: Managers will lead by example and will endeavor to ensure that the vision, mission and goals are articulated and embraced by all

11. ENCOURAGING INNOVATION AND REWARDING EXCELLENCE: All citizens without reservations will have equal access to all services rendered

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

Municipal Manager’s Office: 033 9966 009\1
Speaker’s Office : 033 9966 013
Operating Hours : 08H00-16H00 (Mon - Fri)

integrated Development Planning is an approach to planning that involves the entire municipality and its citizens in finding the best solutions to achieve good long-term development.

IDP is a five year principal strategic plan of a municipality that informs and guides all planning, management and decision making in a municipality.

Public participation is a crucial element of the Integrated Development Planning process (IDPs), not least because of the expectation that it strengthens their legitimacy and helps ensure that their content and strategic direction match local needs and realities. Public participation is therefore a legislative requirement in South Africa’s IDP processes.

AS MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY YOU HAVE THE RIGHT:

  • to contribute to the decision-making processes of the municipality and submit written or oral recommendations, representations and complaints to the municipal council
  • To be informed of decisions of the municipal council.
  • To regular disclosure of the affairs of the municipality, including its finances

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

We make every effort to be inclusive and accountable for our organization’s decisions and how they are made. We will;
  • provide our community with clear and relevant information
  • engage our community on issues that affect them
  • listen to our community and consider their needs and aspirations
  • offer alternative contacts or resources where an issue is not within
  • our control provide explanations for our decisions and how community
  • Feedback influenced the decision.
  • YOUR OBLIGATION TO US:
  • To understand and exercise your right of participation
  • To assume responsibility for the good governance of the City.
  • To obtain copies of/ or information about the municipalities Integrated Development Plan and as far as possible seek to understand to objectives set out in the IDP.
  • To actively support your Local Ward Committee.
  • To attend and contribute at public meetings of the Municipality.
HOW CAN YOU HELP US?
  • Attend scheduled community activities
  • Inform us on your dissatisfactions
  • We welcome suggestions and comments
MUNICIPAL INFORMATION:
Impendle Local Municipality
21 Mafahleni Street\ Private Bag x 512
Impendle
3227
Ward Councilors: Ward 01 Cllr RT Memela
082 5140345

Ward 02 Cllr PP Mtolo
0725863455

Ward 03 Cllr DS Dlamini
0724245055

Ward 04 Cllr SG Ndlela
0828381441

Municipal Manager: 033 9966009 / 033 9966001