Municipality under administration again.
A letter from the new MEC of cooperative governance and traditional affairs (Cogta), Hon. Moiloa, addressed to the mayor, Kgotso Khumalo, announced the intervention in terms of section 139 (b) with immediate effect.
“The invocation follows a report of systematic failures by the council to carry out its executive and other legislative mandates. In this regard, all executive powers of council are now vested with the provincial executive council (PEC) and cannot be performed by yourself and council, except for the adoption of the budget, IDP and passing bylaws and policies,” the letter reads.
Dineo Thapelo, the spokesperson in the office of the MEC, confirmed the validity of the letter.
The letter states that an administrator would be appointed soon. This is the second time that the province has intervened at the municipality. The first time around, J.B. Marks applied for an urgent interdict to have the decision reversed, but the court ruled against them, stating that the application was not urgent.
The case has still not been heard.
According to Hans Jurie Moolman, DA caucus leader, feels that looking at the recent events surrounding the approval of the budget, he believes that it might be a good thing that an intervention is happening.
“The only unexplained factor is that we have actually already been placed under administration but the decision was ignored. Although it is clear that the authority of the municipal council needs to be restored. It is necessary that the issues that we have already highlighted be properly investigated by an administrator,” Moolman said.
“We confirm that the provincial executive has indicated that they are intervening in the administration of the J.B. Marks Municipality by invoking Section 139(b).
We are awaiting Council to pronounce on the matter,” said Willie Maphosa, municipal spokesperson.