OFM News previously reported the minister of Cogta, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, planned to strip the executive powers of this ailing municipality.

Also read: Cogta moves to thwart administrative chaos in Mangaung

Dlamini-Zuma allegedly was under the impression that the provincial Cogta Department, led by MEC Mxolisi Dukwana, treated the metro with kid gloves.

The metro has been in the spotlight recently for all the wrong reasons and was under scrutiny during a National Council of Provinces (NCOP) sitting held at the Free State Legislature last week.

According to OFM News' sister station, Algoa FM, the Government Communication spokesperson, Phumla Williams, announced that the metro has been placed under National Government's control. Williams added that this is in terms of Section 139 (7) of the Constitution.

This sections states that after a municipality fails to make progress in improving its financial and service delivery performance, Cabinet may decide to place it under national intervention.

This means that the metro can only pass a budget and bylaws. It does, however, not have the authority to borrow money or appoint employees.

Algoa FM further reports that according to Williams, the National Cabinet's representatives will soon be deployed to both municipalities.

The metro has been the first to be placed under administration, since 2020, following its failure to perform the most basic functions of service delivery.

Also read: Mangaung, only metro to adopt an unfunded budget

Giving a detailed briefing to the members of the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) last week, the Head of the Provincial Department of Cogta (HOD), Mokete Duma, said the national department would be attending to the issues of this troubled metro.

The alleged political infighting at the metro is said to be at the forefront of the failed administration.

Senior officials with political affiliations at the metro are allegedly at a crossroads with one another.

OFM News