Pretoria – North West Premier Supra Mahumapelo has placed the municipal manager of the Lekwa Teemane Local Municipality, Andrew Makuapan, on suspension amid the water contamination matter.
Makuapan will remain on suspension pending the outcome of a forensic investigation, whose preliminary report will come before a special meeting of the Provincial Executive Council (Exco) that is being held today.
His suspension comes after Premier Mahumapelo held a meeting with the Minister of Water and Sanitation, Nomvula Mokonyane, and the provincial Exco intervention task team to look into challenges facing the municipality and to visit the families that lost three infants over the weekend.
The task team was established to look into the ailing infrastructure, funding model for the municipality, governance and administrative challenges facing the municipality and sanitation spillage into the water pipes that has resulted in contamination of water.
Urgent interventions identified include upgrading the sewer plant; reviewing the municipality’s Local Economic Plan, in consultation with key stakeholders such as the business, civic, labour and religious structures, and rebuilding public properties destroyed during the violence experienced in the area.
“Developing solutions to the challenges faced by the community to put it on a trajectory of peace, reconciliation and healing and the need for unity among councillors were also identified as critical interventions to normalise and stabilise the crisis situation in the area,” Premier Mahumapelo said. – SAnews.gov.za
