Govt To Withhold Budget Approvals For Non-performing Councils – Garwe

Local Government and Public Works Minister Daniel Garwe has warned that local authorities failing to meet set service delivery targets will face strict corrective measures.

These may include withholding of budget approvals, cancellation of unnecessary workshops, and, in severe cases, the establishment of commissions of inquiry.

In an interview with The Herald on Monday, Garwe said that the Government’s Call to Action on service delivery, launched by President Mnangagwa in November 2023, was clear and left no room for repeated failure. Said Garwe:

“The blueprint is clear. One of the interventions is that in the future, the ministry will not approve budgets of local authorities that have not met what is outlined in the blueprint.”

Minister Garwe said the government will no longer approve unnecessary workshops for council officials to ensure that resources are directed instead toward service delivery.

He added that the government is encouraging councils to explore partnerships with private sector players to address persistent capacity gaps. Said Garwe:

“We are encouraging local authorities to privatise those services that they think they do not have the capacity for.”

Related:

Garwe Gives Struggling Councils 14 Days To Submit Turnaround Plans Govt Bans Councils From Costly Workshops With No Service Delivery Value