North West MEC accused of unprocedural appointment

Parliament’s select committee on cooperative governance and traditional affairs (Cogta), water and sanitation and human settlements has adopted a report which recommends the dissolution of Ditsobotla local municipality.

This comes after the North West government dissolved the cash-strapped municipality by invoking Section 139 (1)(c) of the constitution with immediate effect earlier last month.

The decision was widely welcomed as the cash-strapped Ditsobotla had two mayors, two speakers and two municipal managers while employees and councillors went for months without receiving their salaries.

The Western Cape, the only province under the Democratic Alliance (DA) control, voted against the report. In the report presented by China Dodovu, the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) chair of the select committee on Cogta, the North West MEC of Cogta, Lenah Miga, is accused of unprocedurally appointing Radinaledi Mosiane as administrator of Ditsobotla until the end of December.

“Our municipalities… are again facing historical and unacceptable challenges of poor service delivery, political instability, financial mismanagement, weak municipal management, dysfunctional councils, poor intergovernmental support and oversight, corruption, factionalism, political interference and manipulation in the administration,” said Dodovu.

The report recommends that the designated administrator implement a skills audit in the municipality to ascertain relevant people hold office and that the MECs of Cogta and finance appear before the NCOP to explain their Section 139 (5) intervention in all municipalities.

The report calls on law enforcement agencies to investigate corruption and the appointment of unqualified staff.

“The committee has noted with great concern that the MEC of NW Cogta has taken an unprocedural step to appoint the administrator for the municipality before the committee has deliberated, adopted and even tabled this report to this House for approval or disapproval of the dissolution,” said Dodovu.

“The step undertaken by the MEC to appoint the administrator is invalid, thus undermining the legal process and perpetuating the unfounded perception that the NCOP process is merely a rubber-stamp process.”

Miga’s spokesperson Tsholofelo Mathibedi said: “It is not the intention of the MEC to undermine the committee, the dictates of the constitution are clear as to what needs to be done.”

Although the DA did not support the recommendations, it was confident it would increase their electoral appeal.

“Should Ditsobitla be dissolved… the DA will be ready to campaign for change. This election would be a great opportunity for residents to reject the corrupt ANC and vote in a clean DA-led government to rebuild what the ANC has destroyed,” said DA councillor Ronald Matlholoa.

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