Impendle, 25 May 2026 – The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) has implemented a constitutional intervention in Impendle Local Municipality to restore effective governance, financial management, and accountability.
The intervention follows a resolution of the Provincial Executive Council on 18 May 2026 to invoke Section 139(1)(b) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996, after persistent challenges were identified within the municipality.
The decision is based on the municipality’s failure to fulfil its executive and statutory obligations, including:
• Failure to ensure functional governance, including electing a Mayor and maintaining a stable and functional council and oversight structures.
• Failure to appoint a suitably qualified Acting Chief Financial Officer during a prolonged vacancy.
• Failure to implement consequence management in terms of applicable legislation for unauthorised, irregular, fruitless and wasteful expenditure, including allegations of fraud, corruption and maladministration.
• Failure to ensure sound financial management, including revenue collection, internal controls, and compliance with relevant financial management frameworks.
• Failure to address serious deficiencies identified in the Auditor-General’s 2024/2025 audit report.
To address these challenges, the MEC for COGTA, Reverend Thulasizwe Buthelezi, has appointed Mr Sthembiso Mthembu as the Ministerial Representative to implement a recovery plan on behalf of the Provincial Executive Council.
Earlier today, 25 May 2026, the Head of Department, Mr Scelo Duma, met with the councillors of the municipality to formally inform the council of the intervention and to introduce Mr Mthembu. The engagement was also attended by officials from the KZN Provincial Treasury and the South African Local Government Association (SALGA).
The municipal council welcomed the intervention, acknowledging that it is aimed at improving the overall functionality of the municipality and strengthening its ability to provide uninterrupted, quality services to residents.
The responsibilities of the Ministerial Representative will include:
• Establishing and chairing an Interim Finance Committee to monitor and manage the municipality’s cash flow and expenditure.
• Acting as a compulsory signatory on the municipality’s bank accounts.
• Ensuring implementation of financial systems, internal controls, and cost-containment measures.
• Overseeing implementation of remedial actions arising from Auditor-General findings.
• Strengthening governance systems and oversight over the administration, including municipal decision-making processes.
• Monitoring conditional grants and implementation of municipal projects.
• Ensuring finalisation of unauthorised, irregular, fruitless and wasteful expenditure reports and implementation of consequence management.
• Instituting disciplinary processes and implementing findings from investigations into fraud, corruption and maladministration.
In line with constitutional requirements, a formal notice of the intervention has been submitted to the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) and the Minister of Cooperative Governance.
Ends.
