This, after Minister Zweli Mkhize last year in August dispatched teams consisting of engineers, town planners, and provincial managers to the troubled Maluti-A-Phofung, Mafube, Masilonyana, and Letsemeng Local Municipalities. The teams are expected to help stabilise municipalities, help them improve infrastructure, find means to generate income and overall improve their service delivery. They were sent to several provinces following a damning report by the Auditor-General, stating that 113 municipalities countrywide were dysfunctional while those in the Free State all required urgent intervention. Duma says the department will soon act on the recommendations made by the teams on two municipalities once they have been acknowledged in the respective Councils…

He adds that they are pleased that the province continues to benefit from the work of the technical support team and that there is some progress in the municipalities they are assisting.

The municipalities where the technical support has been provided, are amongst those currently under administration and counted among the top 10 municipalities with high irregular expenditures. They are plagued by high vacancy rates in senior management positions, maladministration, as well as the inability to collect revenue, among other issues.

OFM News