1.    The Department of Local Government and Human Settlements, has noted with regret a statement release yesterday by the Democratic Alliance Member in Parliament, Honourable Herman Groenewald, following the National Council of Provinces visit to Kgetleng rivier last week.

2.    Hon Groenewald firstly claims that the meetings in Kgetleng and Moses Kotane were cancelled, yet he confirms that a community meeting was held in Koster wherein the Mayor of Kgetleng rivier, Kim Medupe, ‘spent an hour with political rhetoric’’, according to Hon. Groenewald.

The Department wishes to bring to light the following:

3.    That it is very unfortunate that Hon. Groenwald, is a member of the North West representative at the NCOP, the very same institution that he is accusing of wasting the tax payer’s money. He had all the opportunity to raise his dissatisfaction about the alleged conduct of the Mayor during the oversight session instead of engaging the media.

4.    The NCOP Provincial Week as the name states, is purely an NCOP event, the very same NCOP which Hon. Groenewald is part of. It is true that MEC Collen Maine was invited to the session to make a presentation on the state of local government in the province and all members, including Hon. Groenewald had the opportunity to interrogate the MEC’s presentation at that time, or even better, ask the MEC to make a written presentation to substantiate on what he would have presented.

5.    Whilst the MEC acknowledged the progress made in some municipalities, he also acknowledged challenges that the municipalities are grappling with such as ailing infrastructure that must be maintained from time to time.

6.    The Department will continue, with the support of the Provincial Executive Committee, continue to intervene in municipalities, when possible, as allowed by the Constitution.

7.    The Department welcomes the DA stance ‘not to be a bystander when statutory bodies are not performing to address the needs and challenges in the communities they should serve’. It is within their constitutional right to do so.

8.    South Africa is a democratic country, which allows participatory democracy and freedom of speech.

 

Issued by NW Dept of Local Government and Human Settlements