The Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), Dr Zweli Mkhize, will visit Mpumalanga Province on 30 to 31 August 2018 as part of his national programme to support to distressed and dysfunctional municipalities.
The Minister will meet the provincial leadership led by the Premier, Ms Refilwe Mtshweni, MEC Speedy Mashilo and Eric Kholwane responsible for CoGTA, Local Government and Traditional Affairs and Finance, Economic Development and Tourism respectively.
The Minister will also meet the mayors of distressed and dysfunctional municipalities in Mpumalanga.
The following municipalities have been identified as distressed or dysfunctional in the province:
Thaba Tshweu Local Municipality
Govan Mbeki Local Municipality
Lekwa Local Municipality
Emalahleni Local Municipality
Msukaligwa Local Municipality
The challenges in affected Mpumalanga municipalities relate to governance and financial management, service delivery failures and also debts owed to Eskom and water boards.
The Minister will meet the provincial leadership in Nelspruit and also visit KaNyamazane which has been hit by massive hailstorm which left a trail of destruction over the Lowveld. Currently work is ongoing to repair the damaged houses in that area.
On the second day the Minister will visit Gert Sibande District where Govan Mbeki, Lekwa and Msukaligwa Municipalities are affected by sewer spillages as well as governance challenges.
The Minister will also meet with other stakeholders including business during the visit as part of promoting cooperation and partnerships in the spirit of working together to move South Africa forward so as to fix local government, under the theme – “Local Government is Everybody’s Business”.
The Minister will be accompanied by Deputy Minister Andries Nel and Deputy Minister Obed Bapela.
