Chairperson, hon members, good morning. The report that appears in the ATCs is a report on our visit to the Ditsobotla Municipality on 29 and 30 October. On our arrival at the municipality, we realised that there were already some support mechanisms that had been implemented by the office of the MEC in the province. However, despite these interventions, a formal intervention was necessary in terms of section 139.
The issue that was urgently raised in our intervention and interaction with councillors was the dysfunctional nature of the municipality owing to political inability to manage the affairs of the municipality.
In a meeting that was part of our interaction, this committee had to intervene and reprimand an official who had allegedly intimidated people who were making inputs during the meeting. To highlight the state of disarray that prevails in this municipality, we also found that the community development workers who were supposed to be part of the workforce wanted to make an input and thus organised themselves as outside stakeholders.
Among the developments that are promising in this municipality, we realised that there was already a deployee of the Development Bank of Southern Africa who was operating in the financial section. This official said that, if given the space and a correct environment, things can turn around for the better in this municipality. We also observed that the municipal manager deployed from the province was making good progress in the municipality.
I will highlight just a few of the recommendations that we will table in this House. First among these, as we were sent by this honourable House as part of a fact-finding mission to that municipality, is the recommendation that the National Council of Provinces approves the interventions issued by the North West MEC for Developmental Local Government and Housing.
We also recommend that that department facilitates the appointment of a forensic investigation that should go deeper into the alleged financial irregularities and mismanagement in this municipality.
We also recommend that serious steps be taken by this municipal council to ensure that appropriate measures are taken to normalise relationships between the municipal councillors and officials.
Lastly, we also implore the municipal council to revisit the code of conduct for councillors and officials in order to manage their respective roles. We put this report to this House for consideration. Thank you, Chair.
Debate concluded.
Question put: That the Report be adopted. IN FAVOUR: Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Northern Cape, North West, Western Cape.
Report accordingly adopted in accordance with section 65 of the Constitution.