Parliament, Monday, 21 October 2024 – The Select Committee on Cooperative Governance and Public Administration (Traditional Affairs, Human Settlements and Water and Sanitation) will over the next two days visit Zululand District Municipality and Umzumbe Local Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal following the notice of intervention send to the National Council of Provinces by the KZN Provincial Executive Council to invoke provisions of Section 139 (1) (b) of the Constitution to intervene and assume responsibility for the relevant obligations in that municipality to the extent necessary.
Zululand District Municipality
On 21 May 2024, the KwaZulu-Natal MEC of the Department of Cooperative Governance, Traditional Affairs and Human Settlements tabled to the Office of the Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces a notice of intervention in terms of section 139 (1) (b) in Zululand District Municipality. On 12 July 2024, the Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces referred the notice of intervention in terms of Rule 118 to the Select Committee on Cooperative Governance and Public Administration (Traditional Affairs, Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation) for consideration and reporting.
Some of the substantive matters the provincial executive highlighted on the need of the intervention included the failures of the council to comply with statutory provisions of the election of municipal councillors, failure to provide the necessary information concerning the alleged illegal withdrawal of R33 million from the municipality’s bank account, failure to investigate allegations of misconduct against the mayor and failure to ensure that grant-funded service delivery infrastructure projects are completed. Furthermore, the exco alleges that the municipality failed to prioritise the provision of basic service in the municipality, which has resulted in service delivery complaints and protests, and failed to ensure sound financial management and viability.
Umzumbe Local Municipality
The KZN provincial exco resolved on 29 April 2024 to intervene in terms of section 139 (1) (b) due to alleged serious dysfunctionality at governance and administrative levels, which, according to the exco, has had an adverse effect on the operations of the municipality. These challenges included, but are not limited to, dysfunctional council and inability to form a quorum to constitute council meetings; failure to prevent unauthorised, fruitless and wasteful expenditure; high vacancy rate at senior management levels; failure to institute consequence management against errant officials; failure by council to consider statutory reports; and failure to implement Section 106 forensic investigation recommendations.
The primary objective of the oversight visit will be to interact and solicit the opinions of internal and external stakeholders on the constitutional, procedural and substantive matters related to the invocation of section 139 (1) (b) of the Constitution in the two municipalities.
In undertaking the visit, the committee is guided by the strong belief that municipalities must remain viable and in a position to achieve the objects of local government, as set out in Section 152 of the Constitution. “Our visits are intended to provide an in-depth and independent analysis of the state of municipalities. This will be achieved by making available the necessary platform for all internal and external stakeholder to share their perspectives of the functionality of the municipalities. The residents of these municipalities deserve quality services, and any decision to intervene must be taken with the interest of the people at heart,” said Mr Mxolisi Kaunda the Chairperson of the committee.
Some of the stakeholders the committee will interact with include the KZN MEC of the Department of Cooperative Governance, Traditional Affairs and Human Settlements, the South African Local Government Association, political parties represented in council, organised labour and representatives from the Institution of Traditional Leadership, business forums and youth and women structures within the municipalities.
Details of the visit
Date: Tuesday, 22 October 2024
Time: 10:00
Venue: Zululand District Municipality
Details of the visit
Date: Wednesday, 23 October 2024
Time: 10:00
Venue: Umzumbe Local Municipality
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE SELECT COMMITTEE ON COOPERATIVE GOVERNANCE AND PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION, MR MXOLISI KAUNDA.
For media enquiries or interviews with the Chairperson, please contact the committee’s Media Officer:
Name: Malatswa Molepo (Mr)
Parliamentary Communication Services
Tel: 021 403 8438
Cell: 081 512 7920
E-mail: mmolepo@parliament.gov.za
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