‘We have a recovery plan’

DIKGATLONG Municipality intends submitting a financial recovery plan to council this week and stated that it was in the process of taking remedial steps.

Dikgatlong municipal manager Kagiso Modise said yesterday that the recovery plan would be presented to council on Thursday for adoption.

“The court order refers to dissolution if the municipality fails to adopt the plan. This issue, as well as the appointment of an administrator, is therefore premature at this juncture.

“The financial recovery plan is a turnaround strategy and must be given time to take effect. There will still be some service delivery challenges until the plan is fully implemented. The court order was issued last month and surely cannot expect all the problems to have been dealt with by now,” said Modise.

He said that he was not aware of any chemicals being thrown into the wastewater by an independent councillor.

Modise added that some items of the recovery plan had already been implemented.

“It is misinformed to claim that the provisions of the court order have not been adhered to.”

He indicated that the electricity supply had been restored while the sewage problem that affected a local school had been resolved.

“We are in the process of revamping the sewerage system, while we will soon ensure that the issues that caused the sewage problem that we experienced are addressed.”

Modise stated that despite facing some challenges, the municipality had not been placed under administration.

Spokesperson for the Office of the Premier, Bronwyn Thomas-Abrahams, said that Premier Sylvia Lucas would refer the matter of the municipality to the MEC for Co-operative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs (Coghsta), Bentley Vass.

“The matter is receiving the necessary attention.”

Spokesperson for Coghsta, Xhanti Teki, indicated that the matter was being treated as a high priority.

“We will in due course give a comprehensive update on the matter at hand.”