The Municipal Manager for Lekwa Teemane Local Municipality has been suspended pending the outcome of a forensic investigation whose preliminary report is to serve before a Special meeting of the Provincial Executive Council(Exco) to be held on Tuesday, North West Premier Supra Mahumapelo confirmed on Monday.

The suspension of Andrew Makuapan follows a meeting that involved Premier Mahumapelo, Minister of Water and Sanitation, Nomvula Mokonyane and the Exco Intervention task team established by the Premier to look into challenges facing the municipality and visits to families that lost three infants over the weekend.

A joint task team that includes the Exco task team and the Ministry of Water and Sanitation has been established to look into the ailing infrastructure, funding model for the municipality, governance and administrative challenges facing the municipality and sanitation spillage into the water pipes that has resulted in contamination of water.

Urgent interventions identified include upgrading of the sewer plant, review of the municipality’s Local Economic Plan in consultation with key stakeholders such as the business,civic, labour and religious structures  and rebuilding of public properties destroyed during the violence experienced in the area.  

“Developing solutions to the challenges faced by the community to put it on a trajectory of peace, reconciliation and healing and the need for unity among councillors were also identified as critical interventions to normalise and stabilise the crisis situation in the area,” Premier Mahumapelo said.

A feedback meeting with the community is to be held on Sunday afternoon after a report is finalised on Friday.-TDN
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