Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality gearing itself up for by-elections
Over two-thousand new voters have been registered at different offices of Independent Electoral Commission - IEC in Ngaka Modiri Molema District during the past two weeks, as the municipality is preparing for the By-Elections. 26 November 2014 has been proclaimed as the date of the by-elections in Ngaka Modiri Molema district.
Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality is made up of five local municipalities namely Mahikeng, Ratlou, Tswaing, Ramotshere-Moiloa and Ditsobotla municipalities. There are 481 voting stations in the 101 wards in entire district. All voting stations are expected to be opened on the 26 of November 2014.
There are 41 seats available in the district council. Proportionally elected councillors or PR Councillors who make up 40% of the council, will be elected by communities on the 26 of November. The other 60% of the council which is made up of Local Council representative to district council - LC Councillors will be voted in by councillors in all five municipalities under Ngaka Modiri Molema district municipality. The new council is expected to be sworn within 14 days after the elections.
MEC Collen Maine says the department can’t wait to have a new council that will take Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality forward. “We want to see stability and good governance in the Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality. We want to see a council that will support our local municipalities, a council that will provide our people with basic services especially water, a council will act against maladministration, fraud or corruption without fear or favour; and a council that is accountable to our communities”, charged Maine.
Maine concluded that the new council must also turn around the management of municipal finances. “The municipality received disclaimers for the past three financial years and this is unacceptable. This situation must be made to be a thing of the past and move the municipality towards clean audit” remarked MEC Maine.
Currently the municipality is under administration after the Provincial EXCO took a decision to invoke Section 139 (1) (c) of the constitution, to disband the council.
The Administrator Kumaran “Kulu” Nair is leading the intervention team deployed in the municipality. “The municipality can’t be under administration forever. Our deployment to the municipality is to bring stability and prepare ground for the council that will be elected in November” said Nair.
Enquiries:
Ben Bole (Departmental Spokesperson)
Cell: 071 566 1399
E-mail: msbole@nwpg.gov.za
