Sub-Saharan Africa - South Africa
The Municipal Financial Management Technical Assistance Project (MFMTAP) was a major element in the assistance provided by the South African National Government to municipalities under the decentralisation of public service delivery and local government management reform program. The five-year project (2003-2008) promoted implementation of the Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA) in 17 local governments that have prime responsibility for the delivery of basic services to communities through collaboration with the National Treasury and provincial governments. The project promoted sound financial governance by clarifying the roles and responsibilities of key role-players in the municipalities, and by introducing budget reforms such as forward-looking multi-year performance-based budgeting and improved integration of budgeting and planning processes that focus on strengthening social service delivery. Cowater provided municipal finance and administration technical assistance to each of 17 municipalities throughout South Africa as well as to the South African National Treasury. Municipalities included large urban areas like Johannesburg and Durban, medium-sized municipalities such as Bloemfontein and Mogale City, and rural and district municipalities such as Ba Phalaborwa and Richards Bay. Assistance was provided to municipalities in the implementation of the provisions of the 2004 MFMA, and to reform their management systems including strategic medium-term planning, financial and annual planning and budgeting linked to medium-term plans, financial reporting, accounting procedures, revenue enhancement, results-based strategic plans, and performance measurement at all levels within each municipality.
