Standerton Town Hall saw dignitaries arriving on Wednesday, October 12 for the scheduled meeting with the Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) about the future of Lekwa.
CoGTA’s portfolio committee were present and the chairperson, Fikile Xasa, gave a brief background of the intervention at the Lekwa Municipality.
Section 139 (7) of the Constitution of South Africa regulated and still regulates municipal affairs.
Attendees included the executive mayor of the Gert Sibande District Municipality, Walter Mngomezulu, executive mayor of the Lekwa Municipality,
Delani Louis Thabethe, speaker Oliver Phiri, councillors, as well as municipal employees.
The former ousted council was dissolved, municipal elections were held and the Administrator, Johann Mettler, served in overseeing the running of the municipality.
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The committee called on stakeholders to support Lekwa towards clean governance.
According to their media statement of October 13, they engaged with various government stakeholders on the state of Lekwa that falls under the Gert Sibande District Municipality.
The committee engaged with stakeholders at the town hall as part of its oversight programme in Mpumalanga.
The stakeholders also included Provincial Treasury, the Auditor-General, South African Local Government Association (Salga) and the Provincial Department of Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs.
Lekwa is one of 64 municipalities that have been identified as dysfunctional as indicated in a report of CoGTA to cabinet.
According to the statement, the committee resolved to pay special attention to these municipalities by, among other things, conducting intensive oversight on them and inviting them to appear before them for reports.
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The committee is aware that Lekwa is under a new administration that took over 10 months ago. According to them, the previous administration rendered the municipality dysfunctional.
They called on stakeholders to guide the new administration on a turnaround strategy towards a functional and healthy municipality as it has inherited former problems.
According to the statement, they took note that Lekwa is one of three municipalities under Section 139 (7) intervention, that is being implemented for the first time in the country.
“It is crucial that all government stakeholders take responsibility in ensuring that this 139 (7) yields the desired results so that the ordinary citizens, who rely on the municipality, receive the services they require,” the statement read.
The committee also called on the leadership of Lekwa to steer the municipality towards a clean audit outcome.
A site visit to the Rooikoppen sewer phase 6 project was conducted and the committee was impressed with the progress made.
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According to the statement, it may be completed before the anticipated time.
Lekwa informed them that the project is 50% towards completion, although only 32% from its budget was spent.
The expected time of completion is November 2023 although the municipality accelerates the project to complete it by June 2023.
The committee is also impressed that the project has created employment opportunities in Lekwa. They told the municipality that a close eye will be kept on the progress.
Attendees at the meeting were treated to breakfast and lunch and according to a trusted source, CoGTA made a remark about the red carpet reception.
“We are here to help you and don’t know whether this is a wedding. We are made to believe you are cash-strapped yet are treated like royalty, while you can’t pay your Eskom account.”
