Free State Executive Council intervenes in the Metsimaholo Council stalemate
The Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA) No 56 of 2003 instructs all municipal councils to consider the approval of the municipal budget at least 30 days before the 1st of July, which is the start of the new financial year. Following the political issues that led to the failure of Metsimaholo Local Municipality to adopt its 2017/18 budget, the MEC for Finance on the 6th July wrote a letter to the Executive Mayor of the municipality informing him of the consequences of failure to adopt the budget.
Despite all these efforts, the municipality still failed to adopt the budget. The Free State Executive Council then resolved to dissolve the Council in terms of Section 139 (4) of the Constitution. The Executive Council further appointed Mr. Moses Moremi as the Administrator with effect from 1st July 2017. Mr. Moremi has extensive experience in local government and will perform functions of the Council until a new Council has been elected and declared. In the same period, he will also be expected to provide monthly progress reports to the Executive Council on the running of the municipality.
Except for the employees whose contracts are linked to political office bearers, all employees will not lose their jobs. All salary payments to councilors, including those seconded to the Fezile Dabi District Municipality will be stopped. The budget of the municipality is approved and all salaries, including pension funds, medical aids and other allowances shall be paid to all officials as in the previous months.
The Executive Council shall also meet with other stakeholders like trade unions SAMWU, IMATU and others to inform them about the decision and chart a collective way forward. The Executive Council wishes to assure all citizens that municipal functions and services to communities will not be affected or interrupted by the dissolution of the Metsimaholo Council. The dissolution is done with the purpose to strengthen service delivery and political management of the municipality.
Mr. Tiisetso Makhele
Premier’s Spokesperson
Email: tiisetso.makhele@fspremier.gov.za/makhelets@live.com
Tel: 051 405 5799
Fax: 086 577 3317
Cell: 076 833 0033
