Delegates from the National Treasury, Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA), Western Cape Provincial Treasury, and George Municipality are following the 2025/26 Mid-Year Budget and Performance Assessment engagement in George.
Service delivery, financial health, governance, institutional arrangements, and budget preparation were among the key focus areas during the 2025/26 Mid-Year Budget and Performance Assessment visit by the National Treasury to George on 24 and 25 February 2026. The engagements were held in the George Municipal Council Chambers.
The National Treasury delegation was joined by representatives from the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA), and the Western Cape Provincial Treasury. The two-day programme formed part of an oversight and support initiative with the Municipality’s senior management. Day one focused on strategic discussions, while day two included site visits to selected infrastructure projects.
The session commenced with a joint welcome by the Municipality and National Treasury, outlining the purpose of the visit and reinforcing the importance of cooperative governance in ensuring sustainable municipal operations. Mr Sifiso Mabaso, Director at National Treasury and Chairperson of the engagement, said the visit forms part of National Treasury’s ongoing oversight and support programme aimed at strengthening financial management, governance, institutional capacity, and service delivery performance in local government.
Ms Julinda Gantana, Head of Department at the Western Cape Provincial Treasury, led the provincial delegation. The George Municipality delegation was led by Acting Municipal Manager, Mr. Godfrey Louw, supported by Directors and senior management.
Highlights of Discussions
Discussions focused on: • The Municipality’s institutional arrangements and organisational capacity • Financial performance and the proposed adjustments budget • Financial governance and audit matters • Service delivery performance and infrastructure implementation • Progress on mSCOA implementation and the 2026/27 budget preparation process
The engagement concluded with a summary of key observations and recommendations to guide continued improvement and intergovernmental support. Mr. Louw, in his concluding remarks, said: “The Municipality remains committed to sound financial management, strengthened governance and improved service delivery to all communities.”
These visits form part of a nationwide programme targeting Secondary Cities, also referred to as Intermediate City Municipalities (ICMs), which play a critical role in driving regional economic development and managing urban growth outside major metropolitan areas.