This visit comes after the municipality was placed under administration in February last year, following its R3 billion debt to Eskom and the Sedibeng Water Board, which led to power and water cuts in the towns affected.

Local businesses in the towns then went to court to stop Eskom from disrupting the power settlement, following which an out of court settlement was made, which led to the establishment of the Maluti-A-Phofung Consultative Committee, which will now oversee the implementation of the municipality’s recovery plan. This meeting, which will take place tomorrow morning, follows ongoing efforts between Mkhize and the oversight committee to fast-track the turnaround of the municipality.

The spokesperson of the minister, Musa Zondi, said that while Mkhize and the committee remain committed to resolving the financial and service delivery related issues at the municipality, some problems continue to persist as residents in the towns have complained about interruptions in water and electricity supply and other key service delivery related challenges. The minister will engage the various stakeholders to not only receive reports but also to reflect and mobilise all stakeholders to support the turnaround plan.

The meeting forms part of Cogta’s Back to Basics Municipal Recovery Programme which intends to ensure efficient and effective functioning municipalities. It comes almost a month after the municipality handed over a list of places affected in towns that require immediate attention from Mkhize’s department. OFM News previously reported that some of the areas they have been selected for immediate intervention include Thaba Bosiu, Qoqolosing, Jwala Boholo, Riverside, and Namahadi, amongst others. The assistant administrator at the municipality, Solly Motingoe, also said that parts of the municipality, including the QwaQwa and Harrismith towns, were affected by water supply owing to a range of issues but the municipality is working on ensuring that these towns receive water in a sustainable way.

OFM News