• This division is a strategic component in the new system of local government and facilitates continuous communication between residents and the Municipality.

• It ensures the dissemination of information to residents and stakeholders and contributes to the consolidation of the democratic process by nurturing the dialogue that should ensue between the Municipality, residents and other stakeholders.

• Liaising with NGOs, the public, business and other roleplayers related to events

• Arranging all civic and mayoral functions, conferences, workshops and meetings

• Providing conference and meeting facilities

• Providing a support service for the offices of the MMCs, the Speaker and the whips

• Maintaining the official mayoral residence Departmental highlights

• During the past financial year, this division has been involved in hosting or cohosting 50 events, including receiving various delegations from Belgium and Iran, and the Wales Trade Mission.

• Computers and funds were donated to various institutions.

• The Moral Regeneration Movement campaign was implemented.

• Various agreements and partnerships with, among others, the University of Pretoria and Unisa were signed.

• The following functions were held: Mayoral Matric Awards, King Hintsa Awards, Vukani Awards and the anniversary celebrations of the Municipality.

• The unit was involved in the presidential inauguration and other ten-years-of-democracy celebratory events, as well as the launch of the
municipal courts.

• Generic support, ie auxiliary support services, human resources services and financial support services, is given to the department on a daily basis.

• International relations services comprise support for inward and outward missions, liaison with international delegates, support regardinginternational protocol, and justifications for signing international partnership agreements and memorandums of understanding.

• This division provides the necessary support to enable the Executive Mayor to fulfil his political mandate.

• It ensures that all the needs of the residents of the City of Tshwane are met, with special emphasis on five focus areas: the youth, children, gender, elderly people and disabled people.

• The main focus of the unit is: policy mainstreaming, planning and coordination, monitoring, reporting, and advocacy.

The aims of the division are to -
• raise awareness of the problems experienced by the youth, children, elderly people and disabled people;

• ensure that the services rendered by the different departments of the Municipality address the needs of these groups;

• participate in national activities that highlight the needs of these groups;

• facilitate links between services initiated by the Municipality and those of other stakeholders;

• work closely with the Integrated Community Development Unit and its political incumbent in the implementation of policies relating to these groups; and

• highlight key issues that need to be elevated by the Executive Mayor as special projects.

• The Speaker presides over meetings of the Council and ensures that they are conducted in accordance with the Rules and Orders of the Municipality.

• The Council has in place a Rules Committee that represents all political parties and is chaired by the Speaker. All councillors are required to adhere to the Code of Conduct for Councillors, which was established by national legislation. This code is aimed at ensuring that councillors are held accountable to the community for their actions.

• The Council has entrusted the facilitation of public participation to the Speaker. The Office of the Speaker is therefore a link between the Council and the communities. Under the guidance of the Municipal Manager, the Office of the Speaker makes use of ward, petition and other committees to promote and enhance public participation.

Ward committees
• The purpose of ward committees is to enhance participatory democracy in local government. The committees are chaired by ward councillors and are
made up of elected volunteers from the community who represent different interests in the ward.

• A ward committee makes recommendations to its ward councillor on matters affecting the ward. The ward councillor in turn may refer matters to the Executive Mayor or the Council. The committee may also advise the ward councillor.

• The Office of the Speaker provides the framework within which the ward committees' activities take place and assists with the administrative functioning of the ward committees.

Petition Committee
• Members of the community can make a request, make a submission or lodge a complaint regarding municipal service delivery through the Petition
Committee.

• It consists of representatives of various political parties and is chaired by the Speaker.

Other committees
• The Speaker is a member of the Speakers' Forum, which is a body consisting of the speakers in Gauteng. This forum engages in discussions on matters of mutual concern.

• The Speaker is involved with the Gauteng branch of the South African Local Government Association (SALGA). This association concerns itself with national and provincial matters and how they impact on local government.

• This unit is mainly responsible for the political operations of the Council. This includes acting as a link between the executive (the Mayoral Committee
and the legislature (the Council) of the local government and between the ruling party and other parties in the Council. It also ensures that discipline
is maintained at all times.

• Since the Chief Whip is elected from the ruling party in the Council, one of the key political responsibilities of this office is to ensure that the strategic direction adopted by the Municipality is in line with the mandate and policy directives of the ruling party.