North West Department of Local Government and Traditional Affairs will as a matter of urgency, appoint an audit firm that will investigate allegations of corruption and maladministration as raised by the community of Boitumelong near Bloemhof in the Lekwa Teemane local municipality. The decision emerged in a meeting held between the MEC for Local Government and Traditional Affairs and the council of Lekwa Teemane following violent protests that erupted in the area since last week.
MEC Tlhape said the audit firm will be expected to present their final report within six weeks. “The municipality has passed a council resolution to allow the Provincial Government to institute a forensic audit to investigate allegations of corruption and maladministration that the community have raised in the memorandum that has been presented to us”, she said.
MEC Tlhape said amongst other issues that the community have raised, is the call for the Provincial Government to invoke provision of Section 139 of the Constitution in the municipality. “There is a legislative process which must unfold before a decision can be taken to dissolve a council and as government, we don’t have as yet, reasons to believe that the municipality is at the verge of collapse. On their call to have the municipality to fall under Dr Kenneth Kaunda District Municipality from Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati is an issue that is handled purely by the Municipal Demarcation Board.
Whilst we fully understand the community has a democratic right to protest, but they also have a responsibility to safeguard their amenities. As the Provincial Government, we condemn in the strongest possible terms, the current violent situation in Boitumelong that has seen houses belonging to the Mayor Rebecca Makodi, her family, Councillors and police officers as well as shops torched and looted. The democracy that our forefathers fought for through blood and sweat is now been turned into a mockery”, she said.
MEC Tlhape said the law will be applied fully in order to bring stability and also to safeguard public amenities.
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