Sol has been ‘captured’

CALLS have been made for the MEC for Co-operative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs (Coghsta) to provide clarity as to whether the

Sol Plaatje Municipality has officially been placed under administration.

This comes amidst the appointment of two employees from the provincial government to fill the posts of municipal manager and chief financial officer, in an acting capacity.

The DA said yesterday that it would urgently like the matter to be discussed, given that councillors had yet to be taken into confidence by Coghsta MEC Bentley

Vass or the executive mayor, Patrick Mabilo, as to the current situation and the capabilities of the new appointees, Thami Mabija and Zahid Cader.

DA caucus leader in the Sol Plaatje City Council, Christopher Phiri, said councillors only had the opportunity to read of their qualifications and experience via the media.

“If Sol Plaatje is indeed under administration – which seems to be the case given the collapse of services, the municipality’s inability to fund the budget, and the subsequent move by the Province to bring two outsiders in to run the municipality – then the dissolution of council could also be on the cards,” Phiri said yesterday.

He added that second to being placed under administration, the dissolution of council was the ultimate sign of a failed government and “the ANC must not be allowed to shy away from this”.

“The demise of Sol Plaatje must not be pushed under the mat now that there is new management in place but rather be addressed in an open and transparent manner. This is essential to ensure that what happened here, in the Province’s capital municipality, does not reoccur elsewhere,” Phiri added.

He went on further to state that the bottom line was that Sol Plaatje was “captured” and that “no amount of pleading for an earlier intervention by the opposition was heeded, until the municipality hit rock bottom”.

“The DA will be checking to see that all processes and legalities involved in bringing in outside support have been properly followed,” he added.

“We also want reassurance that the two new administrators will not be used as pawns by political power bases, to protect and raise funds for the ANC’S upcoming January 8 statement.

“We hope that MEC

Vass and mayor Mabilo will respond to our call for transparency so that we can finally work towards restoring the broken city of Kimberley.”