Parliament, Thursday, 30 March 2023 – Stakeholders inthe Sol Plaatjie Local Muncipality have appealed to the Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs for Parliament to intervene in the municipality, as it is dysfunctional and unable to serve the people.
The committee had an engagement yesterday with Sol Plaatjie Local Municipality stakeholders in Kimberley as part of its week-long oversight programme in the Northern Cape. The visit aims to assess progress in improving service delivery in Sol Plaatjie and Phokwane local municipalities.
The stakeholders participating in the engagement included the Sol Plaatjie Ratepayers Association, Beef Masters, theFrances Baard Business Forum, the Northern Cape Chamber of Business and representatives from wards 4 and 23. The municipality was represented by the Mayor, the Speaker, chairpersons of different committees in the Sol Plaatjie Municipal Council and senior municipal managers.
In welcoming the stakeholders in the engagement meeting, the Chairperson of the committee, Mr Fikile Xasa, highlighted the important role stakeholders play in the municipality. He defined them as the municipality’s principals, who need honesty and sincerity in the way things are done and who contribute to the economic growth of the municipality.
A representative of Beef Masters told the committee that it is very expensive and difficult to operate a business in the Sol Plaatjie Local Municipality and the municipality therefore struggles to attract investors. The municipality has big outstanding debts owed to it, the representative said, and has no cash flow, which makes it difficult for the municipality to operate.
Representatives from the Chamber of Business said the municipality has abandoned the principle of equal access to opportunities. Procurement and tender policies to determine selection of suitable competitors are superseded by friendship or close proximity to decision-makers. A representative of the ratepayers association urged the committee to intervene in the municipality.
During the engagement, committee Members advised the municipality to communicate its turnaround strategies to the people. The municipality will never be successful in improving its fortunes if its plans are unclear and lack time frames. Plans should specify when the potholes in a specific area will be fixed and there must be consequencesif these deadlines are not met, they said.
The committee called for closer and meaningful collaboration between the municipality, stakeholders and all other roleplayers to return the municipality to full functioningand deliver quality services to the people.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON COOPERATIVE GOVERNANCE AND TRADITIONAL AFFAIRS, MR FIKILE XASA.
For media enquiries or interviews with the Chairpersons, please contact the Committees’ Media Officer:
Name: Mava Lukani (Mr)
Parliamentary Communication Services
Cell: 081 503 1840
E-mail: mlukani@parliament.gov.za
Arrange a tour