DA in Northern Cape calls for Sol Plaatje Municipality to be put under administration

The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the Northern Cape has called for the African National Congress (ANC)-led Sol Plaatje Municipality to be put under administration.

The municipality is facing service delivery-related issues including daily water cuts, sewerage pipe bursts and threats of power cuts from Eskom after the municipality could not pay its debt.

The Sol Plaatje Municipality has come under increased fire due to service delivery issues.

The municipality saw water cuts of up to seventeen hours a day earlier this year, massive potholes in the town of Kimberley, a R155-million Eskom debt and R72-million debt to the Department of Water and Sanitation.

During a National Council of Provinces’ plenary session, DA NCOP member Delmaine Christians called on national government to step in.

“Sol Plaatje Municipality is in political, financial and operational crisis. If Sol Plaatje were a business, they would have been declared bankrupt. We call on the minister for intervention in the Sol Plaatje Municipality. Or alternatively, urgently place the municipality under administration to improve financial administration and service delivery.”

ANC Secretary in the Northern Cape, Deshi Ngxanga says although the municipality is facing challenges, going under administration is not an option.

“Currently the ANC is dealing with the problems facing the municipality and we are hoping to resolve them because they are not problems that cannot be resolved. It has to do with leadership. Once these are dealt with the municipality will work on all cylinders.”

The ANC says it is also working to resolve administrative problems within the municipality.