The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the Eastern Cape has welcomed Cabinet’s decision to place the Komani-based Enoch Mgijima Local Municipality under administration.
This will be the third time the Enoch Mgijima municipality is being placed under administration, but the first time by the national government.
The Komani based local authority was recently in the spotlight with the R 15-million Lesseyton Stadium debacle and a R90 million tender for a six-kilometre piece of road.
The affairs of the municipality will now be handled by the national government.
The DA’s provincial shadow MEC on Co-operative Governance, Vicky Knoetze says the move is long overdue. “The DA has repeatedly warned that the provincial government does not act in terms of their constitutional mandate to intervene when local authorities fail to effectively handle their own affairs the question that now remains is which eastern cape municipality is next.”
In February, the troubled Enoch Mgijima Municipality was under public scrutiny after it issued a tender of nearly R100 million for the construction of just over 6 kilometres of road:
