Disgruntled residents and community-based organisation, Save Madibeng, are calling for the dissolution of the troubled Madibeng Local Municipality in Brits in North West. This follows the deployment of a new intervention team to the municipality.
The provincial government says this is because the initial team deployed there two years ago failed to turn the municipality around. Madibeng is a municipality riddled by service delivery problems.
An administrator was deployed to the Madibeng Local Municipality to intervene. However, it was withdrawn this week with little change to show. Now a new administrator has been deployed.
Opposition parties believe the situation has deteriorated even more and have even applied for a motion of no confidence against the Mayor Jostina Mothibi.
“I know the current intervention team has been recalled by the MEC. They will bring another intervention team, and let’s hope this time they can do better,” says Democratic Alliance (DA) Whip in the municipal council, Jan Van Rhyn.
Service delivery
Forum for Service Delivery Whip Modibe Modiba says there is poor service delivery in the municipality.
“You can go around the town of Brits, potholes all over the place, people do not have water … as Forum for Service Delivery we felt that enough is enough. We need to table a motion against the mayor.”
The community says they are tired of receiving no service from the municipality.
“We have a water crisis. There is no supply of water. Even if when water returns we have a problem because the water has changed colour. So, whenever there is water you know that it is only for a short period of time,” says one of the residents.
Earlier this year the municipality promised to provide clean water:
Save Madibeng, an organisation that represents concerned residents. is calling for the dissolution of the municipality.
“This intervention has nothing to do with the communities. We, therefore, call on the premier to invoke Section 139 1 c, which speaks to the dissolution of the municipal council,” says their representative, Sydney Monnakgotla.
The MEC for Local Government in the Province Mmoloki Cwaile acknowledges the challenges in the municipality and hopes that a new administrative team led by Paul Maseko, will make a bigger impact.
“They stayed for the second six months and we are in the third term and we are not getting the result that we want. The municipality has not collapsed; the municipality has been doing well however the challenges confronting the municipality are overshadowing other good things that have happened. “
The motion of no confidence against Mayor Jostina Mothibi is expected to take place soon.
