Central SA
ActionSA Free State calls for the dissolution of Matjhabeng council─── LUCKY NKUYANE 11:49 Mon, 30 Oct 2023
“Its inability to deal with raw sewage that is spilling into homes, flowing into wetlands and leaving a stench of smell, poses a health hazard to many of its communities.”
ActionSA in the Free State has called for the Matjhabeng Municipality to be placed under administration and the council to be dissolved. This is after the recent troubles at the Welkom-based municipality, which include failure to pay workers.
ActionSA Provincial Leader Patricia Kopane said the municipality must be placed in the provincial government’s care for failure to provide good quality services and also because it is heavily indebted. The troubled municipality owes Eskom R5 billion and Vaal Central Water over R5 billion.
‘Matjhabeng is constantly inundated by protests’
Kopane called on the MEC for Cooperative Governance (Cogta), Ketso Makume, to impose a recovery plan to secure the municipality’s ability to meet its obligation, which may also lead to the dissolution of a municipality.
“This municipality, which includes Allanridge, Hennenman, Odendaalsrus, Ventersburg, Virginia, and Welkom, is constantly inundated by community protests and subjected to adverse findings by the Human Rights Commission and the Public Protector. This includes its inability to deal with raw sewage that’s spilling into homes, flowing into wetlands, and leaving a stench … which poses a health hazard to many communities,” she said.
OFM News recently learned that two service providers dragged the municipality to court to demand payment of over R120 million. The municipal account has been attached as a consequence of the court case.
It’s also understood there are at least 11 service providers who are demanding a payment of R750 million from the troubled municipality.
The DA caucus in Matjhabeng recently slammed the mayor. DA Caucus Leader Igor Scheurkogel said the repercussions of the municipality's financial crisis have serious damaging effects on the community of Matjhabeng. Scheurkogel accused Mayor Thanduxolo Khalipha of making false statements about the improvements since taking over the office.
His criticism toward Khalipha comes after the municipality’s bank account was attached following a court order by the Johannesburg High Court, which led to the municipality's inability to pay workers' salaries for October.
On Thursday (26/10), the High Court in Johannesburg struck their urgent application off the roll, which was launched by the municipality after the same court made an order which saw the municipal account attached. The court struck the Matjhabeng matter off the roll due to a lack of urgency.
