Members of the media.
1. I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for taking time off from your hectic schedule by honouring our invitation to this media conference. Secondly, I would like to apologise for the last minute postponement of the media conference that was scheduled for Tuesday, 10 September 2013. The postponement had to happen simply because of a very pressing matter that I had to attend to on that day.
2. As you are all aware that Tlokwe has since 2012, been dominated by instability within its Council and just this alone, attracted a lot of interest from all sectors of the society, be it community or the media in and outside the province. A number of allegations were also levelled against the then Executive Mayor of Tlokwe, Maphetle Maphetle and these allegations ranged from fraud, corruption, maladministration and mismanagement of funds as well as abuse of office. Subsequently, Council passed a motion of no confidence against the then Executive Mayor Maphetle.
3. For obvious reasons, as government we could not just fold our arms and turn a blind eye and pretend as if things were normal. Our interest as government was to ensure that service delivery was not compromised. As a result, the department instituted an inquiry on all these allegations and this intervention was in line with its general support mandate as entailed in section 154 of (Act 108 of 1996) of the Constitution which states that:
“ (1) The national government and provincial governments, by legislative and other measures, must support and strengthen the capacity of municipalities to manage their own affairs, to exercise their powers and to perform their functions.”
4. The team was therefore established and was made of two Senior Legal Administration Officer in the Department and a Councillor and their scope of work was to:
- report on the enquiry methodology and evidence obtained
- analyse evidence/documents obtained
- recommend appropriate intervention.
5. As the MEC for Local Government and Traditional Affairs in the province, I am duty bound to ensure that the Department provides support, monitor compliance to good governance and intervene where appropriate and warranted.
6. The team has concluded its findings after interviewing a number of officials in the municipality including the Acting Municipal Manager, Chief Financial Officer, Speaker and the Executive Mayor.
7. Their findings are as follows :
- The allegations that have been levelled against the then Executive Mayor Maphetlhe Maphetlhe are being investigated by the HAWKS branch in Klerksdorp.
- Council did not investigate allegations of misconduct as prescribed in the Code of Conduct in terms of the Municipal structures Act against the then Executive Mayor Maphetlhe.
8. Based on the following findings, the department recommends that law enforcement agencies be allowed to continue with their investigations and the department observe the processes.
9. On behalf of the Provincial government, I want to re-iterate that the department will continue to render its Constitutional obligation in terms of Section 154 and any other applicable legislation, by monitoring and supporting Tlokwe local municipality.
I thank you.
