Premier Job Mokgoro is touring these municipalities with the hope to improve one of the biggest challenges in the province - service delivery. 

During one of the sessions in the Matlosana Local Municipality, which includes Klerksdorp on Thursday, Mokgoro vowed that action will be taken by the provincial government to attend to matters raised during the sessions. 

Matlosana, which owes the struggling power utility Eskom millions of rands in debt, is amongst many municipalities across the province that have for years now failed to achieve a clean audit from the Auditor-General Kimi Makwetu's report.

OFM News in November 2019 reported that the chairperson of the Select Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, China Dodovu, expressed concerns at the R2,7 billion which was then owed to the municipality. During the briefing, it was revealed that through a treasury report the municipality could only collect a mere 51% of revenue instead of the earmarked 95% from the first quarter.

Mokgoro has further indicated that some of the challenges in North West municipalities relate to  "Political instability and a lack of relevant skills". He says these were some of the challenges highlighted to him by councillors in the municipality, which he says need urgent intervention.

Mokgoro is accompanied by the Acting MEC for Local Government, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs, Boitumelo Moiloa, and several senior managers during these sessions.

Meanwhile, the ANC Interim Provincial Committee (IPC) in September told OFM News that the ANC earlier recalled Troika members, including mayors, speakers and chief whips across at least five municipalities in the province.

ANC spokesperson, Kenny Morolong, said this after the party had identified the collapse in service delivery, infighting, and municipal leaders relegating their authority to gangsters who he says are now in control of these municipalities.

Some of these Troika members who have been affected by this include the Matlosana mayor, Maetu Kgaile; Speaker Washington Ntozini; Ditsobotla mayor Daniel Buthelezi; Dr Ruth Segomotsi District executive mayor Boitumelo Mahlangu; speaker Lerato Setlhake'; and chief whip Motaung Moseswa.

But some of these Troika members - which include Matlosana's Ntozini - refused to budge to the ANC directives and retracted their resignations which has been seen a confrontation to the party leadership.

OFM News