1. No. There is no investigation underway or conducted.
What we regard as important to make a positive change in terms of municipal compliance is instilling culture of compliance with the critical provisions of the Act. This will be an on-going rather than a once-off process. In this regard, the department wrote letters to the relevant municipalities outlining issues of non-compliance and how those matters should be addressed, and it would continue monitoring municipal progress towards resolution of those matters.
2. Not applicable.
3. From the monitoring and assessments conducted, some of the causes were lack of understanding that until certain Council adopted documents (i.e by-laws to give effect to rates policies and resolution levying rates) are published in the relevant Provincial Gazette as required by the law, there is no full compliance with the law.
4. Yes. As already indicated in (1) above, the department is continuing to monitor municipal compliance with the critical provisions of the Act and where required it would provide the necessary guidance. In this regard, in the 2015/16 financial year the department would follow-up with those municipalities that were identified as having been non-compliant, with a view to rectifying those matters with respect of the 2016/17 municipal budget preparation process.