Seven North West municipalities should be placed under immediate administration. That’s according to the African National Congress (ANC) North West PEC. It follows a scathing Auditor-General report on the abysmal financial state of municipalities.
Seven North West municipalities stripped-off their powers but only if the ANC’s resolution proceeds.
The seven are on the brink of collapse. They include the Kagisano Molopo Local Municipality in Ganyesa, the insolvent Ditsobotla Local Municipality in Lichtenburg and Maqaussi Hills in Wolmaranstad.
They have all been marred by corruption, maladministration and cadre deployment.
ANC PEC spokesperson Gerald Modise says:”We confirm that we resolved that seven municipalities must be placed under administration, some are section and 137 and 139 1 b. Because there were serious administrative and financial challenges, we believe that this intervention will help us in terms of providing services to our people.”
Some of these municipalities are no stranger to being placed under administration.
Among them the Ngaka-Modiri Molema District Municipality, which had its council dissolved four years ago.
Despite the interventions little has improved, with the municipality unable to provide basic services.
Experts doubt if the Department of Local Government, who is itself under administration will have the capacity to intervene.
Political analyst Dr Oshupeng Maseng says: “We had many interventions before and those interventions have not come with any sustainable solutions to all problems we are having as problems. What needs to happen is ensure that there must be clear separations in terms of those that hold political office as politicians and those that are administrators.”
Meanwhile, North West Premier Job Mokgoro has called an urgent EXCO meeting, where the matter is expected to be discussed.
