UKZN Academic Addresses Local Governance Forum in Malta

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Professor Purshottama S Reddy of the School of Management, IT and Governance addressed the 2017 annual Commonwealth Local Governance Forum (CLGF) Conference and Research Colloquium in Valletta, Malta.

The Conference, titled: Fit for the Future: Resources and Capacity for Effective Local Government, was hosted by the Government of Malta.

Reddy’s paper – which he co-authored with the Chief Financial Officer of the eThekwini Municipality in Durban, Dr Krish Kumar - was titled: Metropolitan Revenue Management: a Review of the South African Experience. He also chaired a session at the Research Colloquium under the heading: Local Government Capacity – Development.

The paper highlighted the policy and legislative aspects governing revenue management; key components of a revenue management system, underlying critical issues and what needs to be done to ensure greater efficiency, effectiveness and enhancement of the system.

Reddy said a critical aspect of effective municipal revenue management was a computerised billing system that evolved with automated technologies. ‘Credit control, if well managed, has considerable benefits for the billing system, while meter reading is a vital link in metered services and has to be properly planned and co-ordinated. Relevant data should be extracted on individual properties, for the compilation of the valuation roll, on which rateable value is calculated.’

The Conference, attended by about 400 delegates from 40 different Commonwealth countries and international development organisations, adopted the Valletta Outcomes (2017), namely delivering sustainable development through fiscal decentralisation and local revenue mobilisation; local governments working smarter to be more efficient and effective; stronger local economies as a basis for local economic development and identifying innovations in finance to support sustainable development.

Reddy serves on the International Research Advisory Group of the CLGF which has its headquarters in London. 

Words: UKZNdabaonline