By OBAKENG MAJE
Various political parties at the embattled Greater Taung Local Municipality (GTLM), alleged that they know nothing about the invocation of Section 139 (1) (a). On 19 January 2024, the North West MEC for Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs (COGHSTA), Nono Maloyi, introduced Section 139 (1) (a) after instability.
The Patriotic Alliance (PA) councillor in Greater Taung Local Municipality (GTLM), Mmoni Letele said, as the municipal council, they do not know anything about invocation of Section 139 (1)(a). Letele further said, there is no Section 139 (1)(a) that will be introduced and implemented without following proper measures.
“I was so surprised to hear that, the North West Head of Department of North West Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), Dr Ben Bole had a meeting with the municipal employees, instead of engaging the municipal council regarding the invocation of Section 139 (1)(a).
“They have never met with the municipal council. So, from where we stand, the invocation of Section 139 (1) (a) at the municipality is non-existence,” she said.
Forum 4 Service Delivery (F4SD) councillor, Mika Moeti, shared the same sentiments. Moeti alleged that the municipality is in financial crisis.
“What is needed is a forensic investigation because the municipality is in a financial crisis. Imagine, five years ago, the municipality’s investment accounts had R500 million. But in 2021, the account only had R100 million.
“We must be honest to our people and tell them the truth. If the municipal council is serious, it must sit in a meeting and call for a forensic investigation. We need to know what really happened to the money that has been depleted,” he said.
Meanwhile, Bole refuted the allegations and said there has been positive progress at the municipality since the invocation of Section 139 (1) (a).
“The Executive Council of the North West has taken a decision to invoke Section 139 (1) (a) at the municipality. This was to give the municipality directives and they were communicated to the municipal council by Maloyi.
“Basically, that invocation was as a result of instability at the municipality. The municipal council dismally failed to meet its obligations. The municipal council was dysfunctional and as a result, the EXCO took a decision after Maloyi made a presentation before it,” he said.
Bole further said they have given the municipality directives and they are monitoring them on a monthly basis. He added that they have received the first report and there is a sturdy process.
“Since last year, the municipal council has failed to sit for council meetings, where it was supposed to take decisions in addressing service delivery challenges. One of the issues that the municipal council was supposed to do, is with regard to appointment of the senior managers.
“However, there was back and forth and that triggered Maloyi to bring intervention. It is not only that, but before the EXCO invoke Section 139 (1)(a), Maloyi convened a meeting with the municipal council to try and deal with the situation,” said Bole.
He said, however, it became very clear that Maloyi needed to elevate this matter before the EXCO in order to have a decisive action taken. Bole said Maloyi introduced Section 139 (1)(a) not for impunity measures, but corrective measures to crack the dysfunctional of the municipality,” said Bole.
TaungDailyNews 