The Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), Mr Velenkosini Hlabisa, has today led the first engagement by the Cabinet-led intervention to stabilise Ditsobotla Local Municipality in the North West Province.
The engagement by the Minister follows a decision by Cabinet to approve the invocation of Section 139(7) of the Constitution to place the municipality under national intervention, following the municipality’s persistent governance failures, financial mismanagement, and service delivery collapse.
Since its dissolution in September 2022 and reconstitution in December 2022, Ditsobotla has continued to experience political instability, administrative dysfunction, and financial deterioration. The municipality has adopted unfunded budgets for five consecutive years, accumulated over R1.6 billion in unpaid creditors, defaulted on salary and Eskom payments, and failed to implement court-ordered recovery measures.
The municipality’s revenue collection is low, undermining its ability to fund operations. Service delivery has ground to a halt, with unreliable water and electricity supply, non-compliance in waste management, and stalled infrastructure projects.
The North West Provincial Executive Council’s intervention in terms of Section 139(5) of the Constitution has failed to achieve stability or restore functionality. Additionally, various court actions, including those initiated by civil and business organisations, have highlighted the urgent need for decisive action.
Addressing councillors, officials, and community representatives in the municipality, Minister Hlabisa emphasised that the intervention is “not merely about taking power away, but about restoring credibility, functionality, and trust in this municipality.”
The National and Provincial Governments have already implemented several support mechanisms, including:
- Ongoing technical and oversight support from CoGTA (including the Municipal Infrastructure Support Agent), the Province, and other sector departments, such as the Department of Electricity and Energy
- Deployment of a multidisciplinary Provincial Executive Representative (PER) Team to provide technical, financial, and governance expertise
- Targeted training for councillors, Local Labour Forum members, MPAC, and finance staff since the 2021 local government elections
- A skills audit and employee verification process
- Priority attention under the Municipal Performance and Turnaround Strategy (MPTAS), implemented through the Inter-Ministerial Committee, as Ditsobotla is one of the 10 most distressed municipalities in the country
Going forward, in terms of Section 139(7) of the Constitution, read with Section 150 of the Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA), the National Executive will assume the functions and powers of the provincial executive to implement the imposed financial recovery plan. A National Cabinet Representative (NCR), Mr Kopung Ralikontsane, and a multi-disciplinary team of governance and service delivery experts is deployed to the municipality.
This team, led by the NCR, will undertake, amongst others, the following key measures:
- Implementation of a financial recovery plan developed with National Treasury
- Deployment of technical and governance support through MISA and other national partners
- Establishment of a Joint Operations Task Team with SAPS, SSA, DOJ, and NPA to investigate corruption, maladministration, and irregular appointments
- Institutional reforms to address political instability, irregular staff appointments, and governance dysfunctionality
- Strict financial controls, with the NCR assuming oversight of all municipal accounts and procurement processes
The Minister reiterates CoGTA’s commitment to restoring stability, governance, and service delivery in Ditsobotla, and will ensure that the financial recovery plan is implemented effectively to benefit residents and rebuild public trust.
“Our stance is clear in that every municipality must work. The people of Ditsobotla deserve reliable services, ethical leadership, and a municipality that is financially sound and responsive to their needs,” said Minister Hlabisa.
Minister Hlabisa further emphasised that these interventions are not temporary measures but part of a sustainable transformation strategy to restore public trust.
Enquiries:
Ms Pearl Maseko-Binqose
Media Liaison Officer to the Minister of CoGTA
Cell: 082 772 1709
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