Pretoria – Communities of Madibeng Local Municipality have been urged to remain calm and exercise restraint - while the impasse between the provincial government and councillors who are opposed to their council being placed under provincial administration is resolved.
North West Premier Thandi Modise, who placed the embattled municipality under administration on Monday, said her decision to appoint Blake Mosley-Lefatola as administrator and the deployment of a team of experts was done in the interest of good governance to ensure that residents receive services which they deserve.
“Though the obstruction and defiance momentarily delays the intervention, we are confident that the unfortunate setback will be speedily resolved,” she said.
In appealing to councillors in the municipality to put the interest of communities above their personal vested interests, the Premier said the provincial government will not abdicate its constitutional responsibility of ensuring that the municipality is turned around to be clean, effective, responsive and accountable so that it meets the basic service needs of its communities.
Modise further said councillors in the municipality seem to prefer Section 154 support as it does not withdraw executive and legislative powers and puts those implicated in fraud, maladministration and corruption in a position to obstruct efforts to rid the municipality of the scourges that need to be uprooted.
“The Province is amenable to the concurrent implementation of Section 139(1) (b) with Section 154 national routine support as the latter brings dedicated support to the provincial intervention.
“Both sections of the constitution are not mutually exclusive and can be used to give integrated support while exercising executive authority to realise implementation of decisions,” she said. - SAnews.gov.za
