The South African National Civics Association (Sanco) has demanded that the Tswaing municipal council be dissolved.
The association cited persistent corruption, lack of service delivery, and the collapse of governance as a reason.
However, the North West cooperative governance, human settlements and traditional affairs (Coghsta) department says that this would be “the last resort”.
The department instead says when a municipality is in serious financial distress and unable to meet its obligations, a recovery plan should be implemented first.
North West Sanco submitted a memorandum to MEC of Coghsta Oageng Molapisi and acting mayor Nkagisang Molehabangwe on February 17.
Molehabangwe took the reins on an acting capacity after incumbent mayor Norah Mahlangu took a special leave. This after video footage of her naked was leaked via social media last month.
In the memorandum, Sanco Tswaing zonal secretary Obakeng Montwedi raised several issues he said required intervention.
Municipality is deeply corrupt
Montwedi claimed the municipality was deeply corrupt while various townships experienced frequent water and electricity outages, sewage spillages, and inadequate refuse collection.
Sanco said the municipality lacked service delivery vehicles, such as cherry pickers, front-end loaders, and tipper trucks, while only two refuse trucks serviced the area.
The civic body said there was a culture of financial mismanagement in the municipality. This is because it failed to pay to the worker pension and medical aid funds. The association also said the municipality also failed to pay Eskom bills on time yet spent money on legal fees.
Previously placed under administration
“The municipality’s failures are well documented. Despite being placed under administration multiple times, including in 2021, it continues to deteriorate.
“As the residents and ratepayers of Tswaing, we are compelled to bring to your attention the municipality’s blatant disregard for its obligations under South African law. Despite its constitutional mandate, the municipality has consistently failed to provide basic services, thereby violating the rights of its citizens,” said Montwedi.
He added that the municipality employed EPWP workers without proper procedure and officials used council fleet as personal vehicles. Montwedi claimed that cars are used for shopping on weekends.
Council pays R400k a month for car lease
“We demand an investigation into how municipality vehicles are used and for what purpose. All hired vehicles must be investigated. We demand the return of all hired cars and [for] the municipality to buy its own vehicles. One [Toyota] Fortuner costs the municipality over R400 000 a month,” he said.
Sanco also demanded that the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) investigate maladministration and financial misconduct at the municipality.
Sanco further charged that 24 municipal employees had paid a stress relief grant despite it having neither policy nor budget for that purpose.
Steps are taken for failure to meet financial obligations
Head of Cogta Mokotedi Bole said on Tuesday that certain steps must be taken if a municipality persistently fails to meet its financial or service delivery obligations or if it admits thereto.
Bole said then the relevant provincial executive must impose a recovery plan to nurse it back to health.
“It is for this reason that the provincial executive has deployed its representative at the municipality. The issue of the dissolution of the Tswaing municipal council is the last resort,” said Bole.
He added that the outcome of that intervention will determine what is done next.
The municipality said the Sanco memorandum will be handed to acting mayor Nkagisang Molehabangwe. The mayor will hand the same to the MEC and ensure the memo is responded to within 14 days of receipt.
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