The Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs has assumed responsibility of the Thembisile Hani Local municipality in terms of Section 139 (1)(b) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 (Act No. 108 of 1996), as from 16 April 2010. The assumption of responsibility by the department follows the approval by the Executive Council that the municipality must be placed under administration.
The decision by the department follows incidents of industrial action which lasted for approximately three months wherein the salary adjustments of managers were contested. This unrest led to service delivery coming to a standstill and caused irreparable damage with regard to trust and working relations within the municipality and with the community.
There were also allegations of maladministration, fraud and corruption that were brought to the attention of MEC Norman Mokoena. These issues led to MEC Mokoena instituting an investigation in the municipality in terms of section 106(1) (b) of the Local Government Municipal Systems Act, 2000 (act No.32 of 2000).
As of today the provincial government will assume full responsibility of the municipality. The department has appointed Mr Vususmuzi Khubeka as the Administrator and Mr Sipho Magwaza and Mr Tseko Taabe as the Deputy Administrators. Mr Khubeka has extensive experience in the Water Sector and in project management. The administration team will begin their work immediately.
The administrators have been assigned to turn around the municipality. They will be expected to implement the findings and recommendations of the section 106 report and to develop a recovery plan with clear deliverables for the municipality with regard to restoring basic service delivery, improve financial controls, enhancing good governance, strengthening procurement systems, and improve institutional capacity and implement the findings of the Auditor-General.
The administrators will be subjected to performance contracts aligned with the recovery plan for the municipality and the duration of the intervention will be for a period of six months, which will then be reviewed. The MEC would like to request all the communities of Thembisile Hani Local Municipality and other role players to provide support to the administrators in turning around the municipality.
We are confident that our communities will seize this opportunity in improving our system of governance at a local level. The Administrators have a clear mandate of being of service to citizens.
Enquiries:
Simphiwe Kunene
Cell: 082 413 3931
Issued by: Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Mpumalanga Provincial Government
16 April 2010
Source: Mpumalanga Provincial Government (http://www.mpumalanga.gov.za)
