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Nafcoc wants Tswaing municipality disbanded

───   10:23 Mon, 15 Jul 2019

Nafcoc wants Tswaing municipality disbanded | News Article

The National African Federated Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Nafcoc) in North West has called on the provincial government to dissolve the Tswaing municipality.


"We call on premier [Job] Mokgoro to dissolve this municipality as their continued existence is a serious financial burden to the provincial purse and a threat to democracy. We also want the premier to institute a forensic investigation into this gross maladministration. We cannot allow public funds to go down the drain without anyone being held accountable," said provincial spokesman Tshepang Ramosepele.

He was reacting to violent protests that swept through the municipality in Letsopa, Ottosdal.

"North West condemns the recent violent protests and destruction of public property in Letsopa, Ottosdal. Whilst we sympathise with the plight of the community affected, we do not believe that destruction of own property is a solution to the challenges they face," he said.

He said in 2018, it was revealed the Tswaing municipality made of the towns of Delareyville, Sannieshof and Ottosdal, had for nine years failed to table their annual reports.

"It is beyond dismay that despite such scandalous revelations, the provincial leadership deemed it fit to continue to allocate budgets to this municipality.

"Nafcoc North West believes that this municipality has degenerated beyond repair and must be dissolved.

"We call on the office of the auditor general [AG] to deploy a team of troubleshooters to the take over the municipality and find a speedy resolution to service delivery challenges and put rigorous systems to avoid a repeat of such maladministration. We are convinced that Section 139 interventions have failed dismally and an intervention by the AG needs to be employed at all such municipalities."

The municipality has also failed to honour its statutory employee benefits and owes Eskom millions of rands.

Ramosepele said the Auditor-General's reports on North West municipalities paints a picture of gross and blatant malfeasance which has left many communities with poor or no basic services.

"This is an indictment on our hard-earned democracy and a crime against the electorate. This is not the better the people of Tswaing voted for."

Residents went on the rampage on June 10, barricading streets and burnt municipal offices, two trucks, a tractor and a multi-million community library in Letsopa.

North West police said 14 people have been arrested for public violence and arson.

Five of them were due to appear in the Coligny Magistrate's Court on Monday, for allegedly torching the library and throw a petrol bomb into a police armoured vehicle on June 11.

Nine others were nabbed on June 10 for allegedly torching municipal offices and vehicle amid a violent protest. They were expected to appear in court on July 16.


African News Agency (ANA)




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