RUCET capacitates councillors on budget strategies
By Thembelihle Mhlanga
A Lupane based organization Rural Communities Empowerment Trust(RUCET) has facilitated the training of Kusile Rural District Council staff, councillors and other CSOs working in Lupane on the best approaches to budget planning skills and devolution strategies.
Kusile Rural District Council CEO Mr. Christopher Chuma shed light on the non- alignment of devolution provisions as per the provision of the constitution since local councils still have no much power although they are benefiting from the devolution funds.
Thenjiwe Gumbo availed to the meeting that as local authorities receive the devolution fund from central government in an equitable manner whereas as a council they are obliged to zero in on the expenditure and acquittals of the fund, providing all necessary documents in the process. The fund is expended as per planned projects after consulting the community of site.
On budget tracking, Thandekile Ngwenya a legal expert told the meeting that the public has the constitutional rights of participation in the budget processes , with CSOs and the media involved as well. She stressed that it is the public’s right to participate in every step of the budget circle.
“The citizens are empowered to be part of the budgeting process from consultation to budget tracking, but of late some citizens are shunning the process and complain ling that their projects are not being executed by local authorities” said Ms Ngwenya.
With regards project planning, Mr Mthokozisi Ndlovu from KRDC said that in actioning the Devolution Fund project they faced some challenges in other areas while some did exceptionally well.
Mr Ndlovu further noted that the Communities and traditional leaders need to be capacitated in understanding the project circle of the Devolution projects.
The Council Chairperson for KRDC Mr Fibion Ngwenya in an interview with Community Podium thanked RUCET as the working partner with KRDC for facilitating the capacitation of the councillors and council staff in the budgeting strategies.
“Budgeting is a very complex process and we thank RUCET for facilitating this training that will make and impart sound knowledge for the best out comes for the betterment of the district of Lupane”, said Clr Ngwenya.
In the past there has been a low uptake of the budget processes by the community and citizens, making it hard for the local authority to properly execute the projects planned for the communities. The training was held at KRDC premises.
