Mogalakwena interdicts department

LIMPOPO’s Section 139 1(b) administrators packed their bags and vacated the Mogalakwena Municipality’s offices last Tuesday after the Mogalakwena Residents Association interdicted cooperative governance, human settlement and traditional affairs (Coghsta) MEC Ishmael Kgetjepe from putting the municipality under administration.

The municipality was placed under administration two weeks ago by the executive council of provinces after the municipal manager and the mayor’s conflicts that paralised service delivery.

The Mogalakwena Residents Association leader, Piet Pale, said the people of Mogalakwena remained resolute that it was procedurally wrong, according to the Constitution, for Kgetjepe to put the municipality under administration and take over its responsibilities.

He said residents remained confident that the mayor, Tlhalifi Mashamaite, as well as senior managers David Langa and Nkholo Victor Mashamaite were party to crimes as pointed out in the KPMG audit report.

Pale demanded that Kgetjepe intervened as stipulated in Local Government Municipal Systems Act, No 32 of 2000 and regulations. “We are proud to announce that we have successfully obtained a court order from the North Gauteng High Court which interdicts Kgetjepe from putting the Mogalakwena Municipality under section 139 1(b),” he said.

“We call on the councillors to continue executing their mandate of service delivery as indicated in the constitution and regulations governing municipalities. They must refrain from petty and factional political squabbles. We are confident that, under the current municipal manager Willy Kekana, our municipality is performing extremely well.

“We want to assure everyone in Mogalakwena that we will continue to fight against corrupt elements in our municipality to ensure stability. We are committed to ensure that the municipality provides services to the community,” he said.

Coghsta spokesperson, Motupa Selomo, confirmed that they had been interdicted.

He said Coghsta was contemplating their next step. In the meantime all councillors and officials would continue working as usual.