By REGINALD KANYANE
The Phokwane Local Municipality has been dissolved after being marred with a series of alleged corruption, fraud, and mismanagement for the past four years. Northern Cape Provincial government said in a statement that it implemented Section 139(1) (c) given all the above governance and administrative challenges.
Northern Cape Premier, Dr Zamani Saul said: “The beleaguered municipal council failed to fulfill its executive obligations. The council failed to hold critical council meetings to appoint senior managers, failing to consider the section 106 report, failing to approve the 2019/20 financial year budget, the mid-year budget and performance assessment report, and the 2019/20 adjustments budget.
“The proliferation of litigation matters has ultimately resulted in the municipality having two mayors and two speakers. This confusion permeated into the administration and resulted in the dual convening of municipal council meetings, giving of conflicting instructions to the administrator and officials.”
Saul added that the manifestation of political dynamics within the council further circumvented the implementation of the Section 106 report which investigated the serious malpractice at the municipality. He said the municipality having two speakers and mayors resulting in financial and legal constraints.
“The unfortunate sequence of events at Phokwane Local Municipality has unfortunately been unfolding at the expense of the people, robbing communities of basic service delivery. It is in this context that after numerous interventions and for the benefit of the people of Phokwane, the municipal council is hereby dissolved with immediate effect.
“The Provincial Executive Council (EXCO) has delegated the MEC of CoGHSTA to amongst others publish the powers and function of the administrator who will continue to be supported by the administration team of the financial expert and an engineer from the Municipal Infrastructure Support Agency (MISA),” he said.
Saul said all necessary processes will be put in place to ensure that by-elections are held.
He said as a result of this intervention, the municipality will be in a better position to work with the Department of Health to deal with the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Guardian 