MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), Sipho Hlomuka read the Riot Act to AbaQulusi Council last Wednesday afternoon.
He has warned council members to ‘shape up’ or risk facing ‘extraordinary measures by the province’.
ALSO READ:ANC councillors walk out of day’s second meeting
The MEC’s visit followed allegations that the leadership of AbaQulusi Municipality had violated its responsibilities, in respect of the implementation of the Constitutional intervention at the municipality, by interfering with the work of the Administrator.
AbaQulusi was placed under administration by provincial Government in February this year.
This measure was done in terms of Section 139 (1) (b) of the Constitution, with a Ministerial Representative appointed to work with councillors on getting the municipality back on its proverbial feet.
ALSO READ: Meet the new members of the National Executive Council
However, municipal leadership allegedly allowed suspended Municipal Manager, Bonga Ntanzi to return to work.
This has been called a violation of the conditions of his suspension.
Restoring Ntanzi to a position of power prompted the Administrator to take municipal leadership to court, which resulted in an ‘unnecessary wastage of municipal funds’.
MEC Hlomuka made it clear such action needed to be followed by consequence management measures for both councillors and managers alike.
“The Ministerial Representative is here on behalf of CoGTA. He provides regular reporting and analysis is done on the progress the municipality is making. In the assessment we made recently, we have observed concerning trends which negate our drive to ensure this municipality gets all the basics right and serves the community of AbaQulusi better. We have received reports that there seem to have been numerous instances of confrontation, where our Ministerial Representative is not receiving adequate support. In some instances, he was pitted against the Speaker and the Deputy Mayor, with serious allegations of undue interference,” said MEC Hlomuka.
