SECUNDA – MEC for Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGta), Mr Mandla Msibi, is expected to release the Section 106 investigation report of the Govan Mbeki Municipality to the council soon.
This investigation was announced in November and would have lasted for only 60 days. However, after three months it has still not reached council.
The terms of reference included non-implementation of council resolutions, the abuse of municipal property and assets, advertisement of tenders without following legislation and awarding of bursaries without following procedures.
During the oversight visit of the Select Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs on Wednesday 16 September, Mr Msibi announced the completion of the investigation and promised to release the report to council in the next 14 days. The committee welcomed the announcement and demanded a full report with envisioned concomitant actions against those found to be in the wrong at the municipality.
Mr George Mthethwa, Cogta spokesman, said Mr Msibi is suppose to give the report to the provincial executive council first before it can be released to GMM.
“The executive council was postponed last week, and a new date hasn’t been set yet. Soon after that the MEC will table the report to municipality.”
The Ridge Times has been reliably informed that senior politicians and senior managers of the municipality are implicated in the report.
The DA is eagerly waiting for this report.
The DA suspects that the ANC has attempted to stall the presentation of the report for as long as they possibly could and the party questions whether it ever would have seen the light of day, had the executive mayor, Ms Thandi Ngxonono, not been scolded about it by the committee from the NCOP.
“What is the most disconcerting is that, since the announcement of the investigation, the municipality has undeniably deteriorated because of financial mismanagement and poor political leadership. It inevitably ends up being the residents who suffer without basic services like water, electricity and refuse removal while still being expected to pay, ” said Ms Ciska Jordaan.
“The DA will continue to pressure the ANC-led council to reveal the report to ensure that those responsible for leaving Govan Mbeki Municipality in the dark, will be brought to book.”
The party has submitted a motion of no confidence against Ms Ngxonono.
Ms Jordaan said the DA in the province has been calling upon the MEC for CoGTA, Mr Mandla Msibi, to place the Govan Mbeki Municipality under administration since July.
“In addition to this, the DA has at national level approached the Minister of CoGTA and the Office of the Deputy President requesting intervention into this non-viable municipality. Yet we have not witnessed any political will or efforts into changing the status quo. Meanwhile, it is the residents of Govan Mbeki who continue to suffer and the municipality continues to spiral into debt. With these types of financial and material losses, it is unthinkable that the municipality continues about its day-to-day business without closing shop.
“We call upon the mayor to do the right thing for the sake of the people of Govan Mbeki Municipality and step down from her position before having to face the motion of no confidence.”
