Members of the provincial legislature have acknowledged the chronic governance failures plaguing municipalities like Mangaung and Masilonyana, and are calling for decisive, coordinated action.

This emerged during a parliamentary oversight visit by the Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta), chaired by Dr Zweli Mkhize, which saw several Free State municipalities appear before the committee as part of a two-day programme that began on Thursday (24/7).

“I think what is important is to ensure that one, people who are defaulting on systems that are there must be subjected to legislation to ensure accountability,” said Free State DA MPL Jafta Mokoena.

“The second thing is in municipalities where there is a lack of capacity within the municipality itself, the Cogta department must assist.

What is very important also is that the legislature itself must have its own systems like this one from national, where people are brought in, to tell their story, and be shown their shortcomings.”

Consequence management is very important. Amid all these things, whether at the provincial level or at the local municipality level, those things must happen, he said.

When granted a chance to answer, Premier MaQueen Letsoha-Mathae informed the committee that, in line with the government’s commitment to stop misconduct in local government and ensure there is proper consequence management.

“The government has taken decisive action against individuals whose conduct has plunged the institutions into disrepute,” said Letsoha-Mathae. Criminal charges have been laid against implicated individuals, and also changes have been made to the leadership of certain municipalities.

“We have laid criminal charges against officials who are suspected of having committed criminality. There are officials in Dihlabeng and Nala Local Municipalities who are being investigated.”

She further touched on governance failures troubling Masilonyana Municipality, “I want to assure this committee that I will set foot on the leadership of Masilonyana Local Municipality, and an investigation will be launched.

In three months, a report will be handed to you, chairperson,” she said to Dr. Zweli Mkhize.

OFM News/Zenande Mpame dg