KZN MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Nomusa Dube-Ncube today held a special meeting with the council of Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma municipality.
The purpose of the meeting was to announce a decision taken earlier today by the Provincial Executive Council led by Premier Willies Mchunu, to intervene and place Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma municipality under administration in terms of section 139(1)b of the Constitution.
The intervention seeks to remedy the failure of the municipal council to exercise executive decisions including the appointment of senior officials and municipal manager.
“The breakdown in discipline and decision-making in this council has necessitated a direct intervention by the provincial executive, said KZN MEC for Cogta Nomusa Dube-Ncube. The Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma council has repeatedly failed to appoint a municipal manager and, in doing so, paralysed the administrative capacity of the municipality to manage its affairs and deliver services to its residents. KZN Cogta had on several occasions attempted to support the municipality to make correct decisions but the situation continued to deteriorate.
“Our job is to ensure that all municipalities in KZN function optimally. We cannot and will not tolerate behaviour by councillors that flagrantly disregards the code of conduct to which all our councillors are signatories. There must be consequences for misconduct and this is why this intervention is taking place here,” said Dube-Ncube.
This intervention must send the strongest message that in KwaZulu-Natal we will not tolerate high vacancy rate in municipalities, non-compliance with rules and regulations, inappropriate spending of budgets, and lack of skilled personnel for critical posts. We frown upon any decision that paralysis the performance of our municipalities said Cogta MEC Nomusa Dube-Ncube.
“We send a strong message that communities will not accept that we have in municipalities defocused councilors and administrators that are not prioritizing effective and efficient functioning of their municipalities. We must remember that people have entrusted to deliver speedily on their basic services”, said MEC Dube-Ncube.
MEC Dube-Ncube also used the meeting to announce the appointment of a ministerial representative Mr Dumisani Vilakazi, a seasoned local government expert who has served in various municipalities as a Municipal Manager and Administrator. His immediate task is to develop recovery plan and oversee capacitation of councillors to ensure that they perform their functions optimally. He will also conduct an evaluation of decisions taken in council and assess whether they did not prejudice the municipality in any manner. This may lead to those who were part of wrong decisions paying from their own pockets.
Cabinet has also taken an extra-ordinary decision to write to all political parties represented in the Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma council to inform them of the conduct of their councillors, this in order for political parties to investigate and also consider disciplinary actions.
KZN Cogta considers constitutional interventions in municipalities a measure of last resort when all other efforts to restore functionality have failed. Municipalities under intervention receive special support and their progress is monitored until the department deems the objectives of its direct involvement accomplished.
“This intervention by government must be viewed in the light of government’s unwavering support to this municipality to ensure that as the coal face of service delivery the Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma municipality continue to deliver quality services to our communities, and as such, service delivery will not be interrupted”. Dube-Ncube added.
For more information contact: KZN Cogta spokesperson Lennox Mabaso, 082 884 2403 or Msawakhe Mayisela on 0609664220