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COGTA administrator appointed at uMkhanyakude District Municipality

UKDM was placed under administration late last month after failing to hold an ordinary council meeting since March 2020

Bamba Ndwandwe, administrator at Mtubatuba Municipality in recent years, has been appointed as administrator over uMkhanyakude District Municipality (UKDM).

The announcement was made on Tuesday by KZN MEC for Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), Sipho Hlomuka during a visit to the beleaguered municipality in Mkhuze.

UKDM was placed under administration late last month after failing to hold an ordinary council meeting since March 2020, owing to internal squabbles among ANC councillors.

During Tuesday’s meeting, MEC Hlomuka explained to the council that the decision was as a result of long-term dysfunctionality of the municipality whose system of governance had suffered due to internal divisions and failure to convene council for three consecutive scheduled meetings.

‘Some consequences of this frequent and persistent breakdown of council meetings at uMkhanyakude include council’s failure to table completed forensic investigation reports, the municipality’s precarious cash flow position and resultant failure to meet its financial commitments,’ said Hlomuka.

He said as part of the intervention, the KZN provincial government has now assumed the functions specified in terms of Sections 51, 56 and 57 of the Municipal Systems Act, as well as those related to financial management.

The council was informed that the appointed administrator, Bamba Ndwandwe is tasked to:

– ensure the implementation of financial systems, policies and procedures including preparation and implementation of cost-cutting measures;

– establish and act as chairperson of the interim finance committee to monitor and manage the cash flow of the municipality, approve or
dis-approve purchase requisitions and to ensure that the municipality’s cash position is not overdrawn;

– implement governance systems and procedures, including oversight over the administration and ratification of decisions taken by council, the executive committee, committees, municipal manager and Section 56 managers in terms of delegated or original authority;

– ensure the implementation of findings arising from any investigations into fraud or maladministration or corruption;

– ensure the finalisation of unauthorised, irregular, fruitless and wasteful expenditure reports and any consequence management emanating from the outcome of the reports tabled with the council, and

– institute all disciplinary processes that will be deemed necessary.

Hlomuka urged the uMkhanyakude district council to work together with the newly-appointed administrator to address the challenges that have led to this situation.

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