After serious consideration, the Democratic Alliance (DA) in North West has written to Premier Job Mokgoro (see letter here), the Minister of COGTA, Zweli Mkhize (see letter here), and the Chairperson of the National Council, Thandi Modise (see letter here), calling for a Section 139(1)(c) dissolution of the eight failing local municipalities in the province. See letters here, here and here.

The DA is of the strong view that the North West Provincial Government, which is itself under Section 100 intervention by the National Government, is unable to execute its obligations under the Section 139(1)(b) interventions it has launched into failing municipalities in the province.

Logic stands that a provincial government under administration will not have the capacity to ensure the delivery of services and ensure good governance in municipalities it has placed under administration.

The eight municipalities currently under provincial administration under Sec 139(1)(b) have shown no progress or significant changes since put under administration. These local municipalities are:

• Kagisano-Molopo;
• Ramotshere Moiloa;
• Ditsobotla;
• Kgetlengrivier;
• Maquassi Hills;
• Naledi;
• Mahikeng;
• Ngaka Modiri Molema district municipality

Section 139(1) (c) reads that, “when a municipality cannot or does not fulfil an executive obligation in terms of the Constitution or legislation, the relevant provincial executive may intervene by taking any appropriate steps to ensure fulfilment of that obligation, including dissolving the Municipal Council and appointing an administrator until a newly elected Municipal Council has been declared elected, if exceptional circumstances warrant such a step.”

The DA regards these eight municipalities as dysfunctional and all meet the criteria for dissolution. They are plagued by:

• political in-fighting and instability;
• non-compliance with rules and regulations;
• high staff vacancy rates;
• high levels of incompetency among staff;
• low levels of capital budget spending and inappropriate spending of budgets;
• overall disregard for financial and supply chain management regulations;
• compromised service delivery;
• a high level of community dissatisfaction

The various provincial departments under Section 100 administration with no clear improvement are:

List of departments put under administration:

Section 100(1)(a):

• Department of Finance, Economy and Enterprise Development (FEED);
• Department of Local Government and Human Settlement;
• Department of Rural, Environment and Agricultural Development (READ);
• Department of Social Development;
• Department of Tourism
• Section 100(1)(b):

Office of the Premier;

• Department of Community Safety and Transport Management;
• Department of Basic Education and Sports Development;
• Department of Health;
• Department of Public Works and Roads

For the first time, we see a failing ANC-led national government, placing a failing ANC-led provincial government under administration, and then a provincial government under administration, placing failing ANC-led municipalities under administration. Quite plainly, the failing ANC at all spheres of government is unable to correct governance and ensure the delivery of services to the people. The ANC is unable to fix the problems of the ANC’s making.

This is the crux of the matter. At the end of the day, it is ordinary people who suffer without basic services like water and electricity supply, housing, proper roads, infrastructure and the prospect of finding a job.

The ANC has failed dismally on a national, provincial and municipal level and is unable to restore good governance and ensure quality basic service delivery.

The failing ANC-led municipalities have been in crisis for some time and the DA believes that dissolving these councils could be the only way of saving it from complete collapse. It will be an opportunity for the people of North West to elect the DA into government, which is currently the only party in government that can stop the collapse and improve governance and service delivery, as is evident in our government in Johannesburg, Tshwane and close to 40 other municipalities we were elected to govern by the people across the country.

Only the DA can build One South Africa for All, where the people come ahead of politics. The failing ANC has been given too many second chances. The time for change is now.

 

Issued by The DA