The Department of Co-operative Governance in the Free State says there are no plans to place the strife-torn Mantsopa Municipality under administration.
The municipality includes the towns of Hobhouse, Tweespruit, Ladybrand, Excelsior, and Thabaphatsoa. It is in dire financial crisis, which even led to workers not being paid their February salaries.
Service delivery has stalled after workers went on strike, demanding their pay.
Free State Co-operative Governance Spokesperson Zolile Lobe says they will deploy a team to Mantsopa in Ladybrand to help restore stability.
“The reason is that we will be remembering that there are three conditions to place a municipality under administration, you can place it under section 139 1b in a situation where the municipality is failing its executive and legislative responsibilities. Secondly, you put their municipality under section 139 when the municipality is failing its financial responsibilities. Now under both of those circumstances, Mantsopa municipality does not qualify to be placed under provincial administration,” says Lobe.
