Cogta MEC places Govan Mbeki Municipality under administration

Allegations of fraud, corruption and maladministration still continue beyond the Section 106 investigation report, Ridge Times reports.

Mr Mandla Msibi, MEC for Cogta, revealed this in the overview presentation on Govan Mbeki Municipality (GMM) to the National Council of Provinces (NCOP).

He announced that the executive council resolved to place GMM under administration in terms of Section 139(1)(b) for the next six months.

In the presentation, Mr Msibi revealed that there is an increase in irregular, unauthorised, fruitless and wasteful expenditure with no consequence management.

He said the report confirmed that there is political interference with governance and normal operations of administration with indications of serious violations of the local government legislation and that some councillors and officials are implicated in acts of gross wrongdoing.

Mr Msibi said there are factional in-fightings and the council is not united, solid and sound on the direction of service delivery.

“The non-functioning of MPACs, the Disciplinary Board and the S79 Disciplinary Committee of council to probe and act spontaneously on allegations of wrongdoing by councillors and officials, adds to the concern on the functionality crisis.

“The staff morale has hit bottom levels due to rampant fraud and corruption that is not met with concomitant action and law enforcement.

“Interference in administration has resulted in skills drainage as some valuable officials have either opted to resign or have been rendered redundant within the administration.”

He said the intervention came at the right time because the municipality is not in good shape as the mayor has resigned, and the municipal manager and the CFO are on suspension.

He said there is no need for a new mayor and mayoral committee. Cogta is going to court to obtain a declaratory order to set aside the appointment of the CFO.

Sakhisizwe Progressive Movement (Sapromo) welcomed the decision to place GMM under administration and said this shows that the ANC leadership failed to govern locally and that it should not be trusted again to lead such an important sphere of government.

“Why wait for things to go into a complete mess before the intervention? We have to wait and see if this intervention will yield any results,” said Mr Sibusiso Hlolweni, Sapromo leader.

“We are happy that at least now the political interference by certain incompetent politicians will be reduced since there is no more executive to misuse power to personally benefit from the coffers of the municipality, as outlined in the Section 106 report.

“We are worried though because corruption in our municipality was encouraged from the top ranks of the government led by the ANC. Those who were deployed into the municipality came from the top ranks, we have to wait and see then if this is not going to be another one of those incompetent people deployed with a mandate to carry on with the looting business.”

The Democratic Alliance (DA) also welcomed the decision though it took long to happen.

Ms Ciska Jordaan, DA caucus leader, said, unfortunately, while the executive council was contemplating intervention into the municipality for an unreasonably long period of time, the ANC-led municipality has managed to garner billions in Eskom and Rand Water debt, water and electricity losses.

“Electricity losses are currently at 75 per cent from which it cannot possibly recover, and several departments are crippled by mismanagement and corruption as had been highlighted by the investigative report released not so long ago.

“Residents of GGM have been suffering for far too long under the dysfunctional and mismanaged Govan Mbeki Municipality.

“It is our hope that this intervention will clamp down on the continuous political interference and looting that is taking place in this municipality so that services can be rendered to the people.”

Mr Msibi said Cogta will monitor that the recommendations in the Section 106 report are implemented and that law enforcement agencies do their work.

This report was tabled in council. Those implicated will be contacted for comment and, once received, their responses will be featured in a follow-up report.