The joint parliamentary oversight delegation has expressed shock at the levels of dysfunction at the Ramotshere Moiloa Local Municipality in the North West, describing the situation as deeply troubling.
This emerged during an engagement between the delegation and the Ramotshere Moiloa Municipality Troika in Mahikeng, as the delegation is conducting a three-day oversight visit to the province to address the challenges of underperforming municipalities
The delegation comprises the Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, the Standing Committee on Public Accounts, and the Standing Committee on the Auditor-General, and is conducting the oversight together with the North West Provincial Legislature.
During the engagement, the Ramotshere Municipality Troika acknowledged longstanding issues with governance and administrative instability, as well as challenges in financial management, service delivery, and that the speaker has been barred from entering his office.
It also emerged that the Zeerust-based municipality has operated with successive unfunded budgets and struggles with significant debt, including more than R94 million owed to Eskom.
The delegation also expressed concern about the current impasse at the municipality caused by political infighting between councillors, which resulted in the temporary appointment of two mayors, two security companies and a shooting incident at the municipal offices.
“The situation in Ramotshere Moiloa is such that there’s no proper operation of the municipality.
Physically obstructed by the presence of outsiders, who are as reported, intimidating having gained forceful entry.
That on its own, is a basis for intervention of the Section 139 kind of proportion.
The conflict between the mayor and speaker, on its own, would make the council inoperable,” said Dr Zweli Mkhize who is leading the joint oversight delegation.
He described the situation as unacceptable, adding that criminal elements have compromised the municipality.
The committee also lambasted Premier Lazarus Mokgosi and his cabinet for failing to resolve the impasse timeously.
“We are going to call on you Premier and your cabinet, to give us a plan of action of how you’re going to resolve this matter.
I don’t believe you alone would be adequate to deal with this, we believe that the police need to be part of this arrangement, and whoever else.
The shooting inside the municipality, if it is true, is too casual the report that we’re getting today.
We believe that Premier, stronger action should have been taken already by your office before this,” remarked Mkhize.
The chairperson emphasised that the delegation would not return to Parliament without a proper report that provides an undertaking that the crisis will be addressed with the necessary urgency.
The joint delegation will conclude its three-day meeting on Wednesday, following a meeting with representatives from the house of traditional leaders.
