The KwaZulu-Natal provincial government has once again resolved to place the ANC-run Umkhanyakude district municipality under administration, citing several factors.
However, it appears that the decision did not sit well with the Speaker of the council, Solomon Mkhombo, who is also a leader of the ANC in the semi-arid region facing decades-long water challenges.
Mkhombo’s dissatisfaction with the decision is contained in a letter dated July 11 2025, which he wrote to Reverend Thulasizwe Buthelezi, the MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs.
First administration was lifted in April
Mkhombo was responding to Buthelezi’s request that he should call a council sitting where a new administrator to take over the affairs of the municipality would be appointed. The municipality was previously under administration, but that was lifted in April this year.
In the letter to Buthelezi, Mkhombo said while they are not challenging the powers of the provincial government, the decision was not exercised “with utmost rationality and objectivity”.
“The Council was clear on that it is not contesting the powers and functions of theKwaZulu-Natal Executive Council and those (of) the MEC. However, such should be exercised with utmost rationality and objectivity. The Council therefore took a resolution that it is contesting the purported “fresh intervention” as imposed by the KwaZulu-Natal Executive Council. It regards this act as arbitrary, invasive and bordering on being unconstitutional.
“Coming to the letter of the MEC dated the 9th of July which invites the uMkhanyakude Councillors to the Council Chamber on the 14th of July 2025 at 10h0. The letter and the spirit of the correspondence from the MEC leaves no opportunity for engagement between the Council and him regarding the basis for the purported “fresh intervention”, Mkhombo wrote to Buthelezi.
MEC adamant on 2nd administration
Buthelezi wrote to Mkhombo and said it was clear that he had “refused” to call the council and exercise his powers and called one billed for Monday next week.
By Friday, it was clear that Mkhombo was still aggrieved as he told Sunday World that there was no need to place the municipality under administration again.
“We have noted a letter purporting that there is new intervention in terms of sections 139 1B of the constitution. However the council view and resolved that all the sighted triggers have been addressed. Hence no further requirement of this form of intervention,” he said. This was in a response to Sunday World after he was asked if they accept the move to place the municipality under administration or they will challenge it in court.
