Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) Minister, Velenkosini Hlabisi officially announced that the Ditsobotla Local Municipality is under administration for the ninth time, following years of service delivery challenges, financial mismanagement, and deepening instability.
The North West provincial government under the stewardship of Premier Lazarus Kagiso Mokgosi has given a thumbs up to an intervention by Cabinet to bring administrative stability in the municipality.
This comes after Hlabisa confirmed the appointment of a six-member intervention team, citing the municipality’s inability to fulfil its constitutional obligations to residents.
The invocation of Section 139(7) of the Constitution, placing the municipality under national intervention was announced by Hlabisa during a Special Council Meeting on Friday.
Addressing councilors, officials, and community representatives in Ditsobotla, Hlabisa emphasised that the intervention is “not merely about taking executive powers from the municipality, but restoring credibility, functionality, and trust in the municipality.”
According to the spokesperson to the Premier, Sello Tatai, Hlabisa reaffirmed the government’s commitment to restoring the dignity of the people of Ditsobotla by ensuring effective service delivery in the municipality.
“He maintained that this intervention will only succeed through cooperation.”
“We can only turn things around if councillors, officials, and communities pull together in one direction. This is about rebuilding Ditsobotla into a municipality that serves its people with dignity, efficiency, and integrity,” said Hlabisa.
Among the key measures announced are:
- Implementation of a Financial Recovery Plan developed with National Treasury.
- Deployment of technical and governance support through MISA and other national partners.
- Establishment of a Joint Operations Task Team with SAPS, SSA, DOJ, and NPA to investigate corruption, maladministration, and irregular appointments.
- Institutional reforms to address political instability, irregular staff appointments, and governance dysfunctionality.
- Strict financial controls, with the NCR assuming oversight of all municipal accounts and procurement processes.
Mokgosi has expressed optimism on the intervention, emphasising the need to stabilise the municipality to ensure uninterrupted provision of services. He maintains the intervention marks a critical turning point in addressing service delivery backlogs afflicting the municipality.
“Cabinet has appointed a National Cabinet Representative (NCR), Mr Kopung Ralikontsane, supported by a multidisciplinary intervention team. The team will include engineers, planners, governance specialists, and financial experts who will work alongside the municipality to implement a comprehensive recovery strategy,” said Mokgosi.
