The Structures Act defines an Executive Mayor as an executive mayor elected in terms of section 55 of the Act. Only municipalities of the type that have a mayoral executive system may have an executive mayor. A Mayoral executive system is a system of municipal government which allows for the exercise of executive authority through an executive mayor in whom the executive leadership of the municipality is vested and who is assisted by a mayoral committee.
Alderman Johannes Allers
Executive Mayor
(1) An executive mayor is entitled to receive reports from committees of the Municipal council and to forward these reports together with a recommendation to the Council when the matter cannot be disposed of by the executive mayor in terms of the executive mayor’s delegated powers.
(2) The executive mayor must-
(a) Identify the needs of the municipality;
(b) Review and evaluate those needs in order of priority;
(c) Recommend to the municipal council strategies, programmes and services to address priority needs through the integrated development plan, and the estimates of revenue and expenditure, taking into account any applicable national and provincial development plans; and
(d) Recommend or determine the best way, including partnership and other approaches, to deliver those strategies, programmes and services to the maximum benefit of the community.
(3) The executive mayor in performing the duties of office must-
(a) Identify and develop criteria in terms of which progress in the implementation of the strategies, programmes and services referred to in subsection (2) (c) can be evaluated, including key performance indicators which are specific to the municipality and common to local government in general;
(b) Evaluate progress against the key performance indicators;
(c) Review the performance of the municipality in order to improve-
(i) The economy, efficiency and effectiveness of the municipality;
(ii) The efficiency of credit control and revenue and debt collection services; and
(iii) The implementation of the municipality’s by-laws;
(d) Monitor the management of the municipality’s administration in accordance with the directions of the municipal council;
(e) Oversee the provision of services to communities in the municipality in a sustainable manner;
(f) Perform such duties and exercise such powers as the council may delegate to the executive mayor in terms of section 59 of the Local Government:
Municipal Systems Act, 2000 (Act 32 of 2000);
[Para. (f) amended by s. 16 (a) of Act 51 of 2002.]
(g) Annually report on the involvement of communities and community organisations in the affairs of the municipality; and
(h) Ensure that regard is given to public views and report on the effect of consultation on the decisions of the council.
(4) An executive mayor must perform a ceremonial role as the municipal council may determine.
(5) An executive mayor must report to the municipal council on all decisions taken by the executive mayor.
(6) The deputy executive mayor of a municipality exercises the powers and performs the duties of the executive mayor if the executive mayor is absent or not available or if the office of the executive mayor is vacant.
(7) If the executive mayor is absent or not available and the municipality does not have a deputy executive mayor, or the deputy executive mayor is also absent or not available, the council must designate a councillor to act as executive mayor.