Success of Section 100 intervention in the North West depends on stable municipalities

The Ad Hoc Committee on Section 100 Intervention in the North West Province believes that the crisis affecting a majority of municipalities in the North West will inhibit any potential success of the Section 100 intervention in the province, primarily bec

The committee visited the North West Province recently to assess progress on the implementation of the Section 100 intervention in the province. The committee received a progress report from the Inter-Ministerial Task Team (IMTT) and has commended progress in stabilising the provincial level of administration. The appointment of heads of departments for the Office of the Premier, Department of Health, Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, and the Department of Social Development will bring muchneeded stability and strategic direction to those departments.

In addition, the steady improvement in audit outcomes points to green shoots at the provincial administrative level. Furthermore, some of the consequence management initiatives, which led to the immediate dismissal of some officials, are to be welcomed. This is despite the need to ensure criminal prosecution for the malfeasance that caused the current challenges. The committee has also called for the state to urgently initiate a process to recoup ill-gotten finances, which occurred due to corruption within the province.

Despite the green shoots, the committee remains concerned about the lack of stability within the local sphere of government, with reports of parallel councils and two mayors and two Speakers operating at the same time. “It is unacceptable and unfathomable to find a situation where a municipality has two mayors, especially because this dysfunction affects service delivery directly.

The committee welcomes the IMTT’s intention to redouble its efforts in support of Kgetlengrivier, Tswaing, Ditsobotla, Ramotshere Moiloa, Ratlou and Matlosa local municipalities, as well as Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati,” said Mr China Dodovu, the Chairperson of the committee.

To remedy this challenge, the committee welcomed the IMTT’s intention to find additional support through state-owned entities to ensure that budgets are spent, especially in the context of the devastating effects of Covid-19. Meanwhile, the committee welcomed the announcement that the Intergovernmental Monitoring, Support and Intervention Bill is being processed. The committee awaits the tabling of the Bill to enable the committee and the public to make quality inputs on the Bill.