The untimely passing of the Executive Mayor follows the murder of the Municipal Manager, Stanley Khanyile, who was gunned down in broad daylight in a parking lot in Alberton in October last year.

  Both had been fingered in a recently released scathing 149-page forensic investigation report on irregular appointments and payments of officials and companies at the municipality.   Furthermore death threats recently received by the Speaker of the Municipality, Andiswa Mosai, places further question marks over the shenanigans in the District.

  The Democratic Alliance’s Regional Chairperson for the Vaal, Dennis Ryder, in a statement on Monday said the District Municipality is “flailing aimlessly” without a mayor.   Ryder said it is fairly clear that an “internal contestation” is the root cause of the delay, as the various candidates for the post try to strengthen their position.

“While we all mourn Modisakeng’s passing, the business of running the municipality should continue. “According to the law, on resignation or death of a Mayor, the Mayoral committee also ceases to exist, and so the District has been without leadership for over a month. “While the relevant legislation is unclear on how long a Municipality may operate without a Mayor, the replacement of a Councillor should happen within 21 days.  It appears that this has not yet happened and the scheduled Council meeting was postponed leaving a vacancy unfilled,” Ryder told Vaalweekblad. “The Democratic Alliance (DA) considers this to be an ideal opportunity for the Gauteng Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) to place the municipality under full administration by invoking Section 139(1)(c) of the Constitution,” Ryder said. “When the Gauteng MEC for COGTA, Lebogang Maile released the forensic report late last year, he detailed various steps to be taken by the municipality and Council, each with specific timelines, deadlines and deliverables.

  “None of these have been met and an extension was requested by the late Executive Mayor, the Chief Whip and the regional leadership of the South African Local Government Association (SALGA), who happen to be  senior members of the Council.   “The District Municipality continues to fail in its constitutional obligations, including the facilitation of service delivery in its constituent municipalities as mandated by Section 83 (3)(c) and (d) of the Municipal Structures Act, that urgent intervention by strong leadership is needed,” Ryder said.   According to Ryder the Gauteng Premier David Makhura and COGTA MEC Lebogang Maile are fully aware of the precarious position the municipality finds itself in, following the release of the forensic report commissioned by them.   “Residents of the Vaal have for far too long been treated like second-class citizens of Gauteng, with the Sedibeng Region of the African National Congress abusing their positions for self-enrichment.   “It cannot be that five weeks after the death of a mayor, a vacuum still exists.   “While the ANC is unwilling to fill it, the Democratic Alliance has more capable public representatives to take up any executive roles in Council.

  “The DA calls for immediate and decisive action to be taken by Premier Makhura and MEC Maile, by intrusting the Speaker to call an urgent meeting to allow Councillors to elect a DA Mayor who can start rebuilding the district,” Ryder concluded.