The Minister of Local Government and Chieftainship Affairs presented the Local Government Service Bill, 2007 in the Parliament on Monday.

Addressing members of the National Assembly, Dr Ponts'o Sekatle said the main purpose of the Bill is to regulate the entire Local Government Service with a legal document. The local government, she said comprises of officers, who have been transferred from public service to work in local government service.

Dr Sekatle stated that the Bill specifies qualifications of the member of the local government for the Local Government Service.

“The Bill also outlines that for the time being, the laws governing pensions in the public service shall equally apply to the service,” she said.

The Local Government minister added that local government was established in April 2005, and that what is left is the law that governs employees and their services.

Expressing, Dr Sekatle's sentiments, was the minister of Labour and Employment, Mr. Moses Masemene, who said the Bill is important as it outlines how civil servants at community level should behave to provide quality services.

Mr. Masemene said local government counsellors play a vital role in serving people at village level, hence he supports the Bill to be passed.

Source: LENA 10/09/2007