Coalition governments at local municipalities are testing the strength of our democracy. Not only that, they (coalitions) have also reduced voters to spectators in the game they are supposed to be playing. Is that democratic?
The never-ending problems at Tshwane Municipality, which is under the DA coalition, are a classic example. Only last week, the Gauteng Province placed the municipality under administration. However, the DA says the municipality is not under administration. And voters have no say in the shenanigans happening there. Yet voters are the ones who elected political parties into power.
Mogale City is also under a coalition government that is led by the ANC, which was previously led by the DA. The City has been without an executive mayor for almost two months after the previous mayor passed away. The absence of a political head in a municipality compromises service delivery.
A few weeks ago, the Mogale City Council elected a new executive mayor in the person of Francis Motlalepule Makgatho. (I understand the main opposition parties, the DA and EFF, did not attend the sitting.) Makgatho is the fourth executive mayor of the City in less than five years. This is unprecedented.
The new executive mayor has only 14 months or so to lead the City – next year, it’s the local government elections. That is not enough for him to take the City to the Promised Land – i.e. to deliver the much-needed services. So, it will be very unfair to expect him to make miracles in such a short space of time.
The little the new executive mayor can do in this short space of time is to make sure that the outstanding service delivery issues are attended to. Potholes and long grass in the cemetery need urgent attention. I wish to take this opportunity and wish Executive Mayor Makgatho all the best.
