Hon Chair and honourable House, in the Tswaing Local Municipality, right from the beginning the committee was met with a state of chaos. You could not separate the municipality from a liquor restaurant. There was a general lack of discipline. Officials were not at work, while those that were wore caps covering their eyes.
Other general observations by the committee and the report from the administrator concerned water, sanitation, roads, local economic development strategies, organograms, supply-chain management - everything was in disarray. What was most unique about this municipality was its grading system. The municipality was supposed to be at grade 3 or grade 4, but, in terms of a resolution of the council, the municipality was placed at grade 6. The implication of this was that councillors and officials were earning amounts equal to those at a grade 6 municipality - which is just next to a metro.
Other issues such as budgets, integrated development plans, institutional development, and governance were also in a poor state. In terms of the organogram, the report says there were 120 general workers who were promoted to senior management posts. What does this imply? You can get an answer by doing your own personal analysis. There were 19 section 57 managers - the biggest number, I'm sure, in the country and bigger than some of the provinces in terms of a department.
The question is: What are they doing in terms of the five-year strategic agenda of local government? Where are they placed? The other recommendation that we would like to make here is to request the Select Committees on Finance and Appropriations to spend a day or two with that municipality to work on finances. This is important to make sure that the organogram is reviewed and goes back to normality - financially, legally and politically.
The other worrying factor is that it is alleged in the report that this municipality has one gardener and one cleaner. You can see this in its appearance. Therefore, it is important that serious attention be given to this municipality.
The committee, therefore, recommends that section 139(1)(b) of the Constitution be applied. If there are still no improvements, then we will do a review - the administrator should concentrate on making sure that there is a database on every worker and their qualifications.
Order, hon member Mokgobi! You have covered one municipality so far, and you are supposed to deal with all four of them in 10 minutes. Now, you have spoken for five minutes, and I'm just making you aware that you have five minutes left.
As long as your awareness does not take up my time.
No, it won't. [Laughter.]
Chairperson, I plead that you give the hon chairperson 50 minutes to complete the report. [Interjections.] This is very important because it is serious. It's very serious. The North West is in chaos.
Order, hon members! Thank you, hon Bloem. Continue, hon Mokgobi.
Thank you very much for the House approving ... [Laughter.] ... that the administrator fast-track the database and that the Hawks be in place. The administrator is to stabilise the local labour forum. Quarterly reports should be in place. The SA Local Government Association, Salga, must begin offensively to train councillors and officials. The Municipal Demarcation Board must come into play with regard to the grading system, and follow-ups must be made.
With regard to the Madibeng Municipality, it is a high-capacity municipality with huge economic potential but less revenue income. It is characterised by fraud, financial problems, poor management, and bad governance. At one stage a tender was approved for R5 million, but implementation came to R7 million. This is just to give you a brief idea of what is happening.
There should be an investigation into the Oukasie Development Trust, which was changed into something that could not be defined, to see who is benefiting.
We therefore recommend approval on this matter and that the administrator fast-track the reviewing of the database of qualifications of all section- 57 staff and stabilise the administration in terms of labour relations unrest, that the Hawks be in place, and that quarterly reports be given.
With regard to the Masilonyana municipality, here we would concur with councillors. They have made several attempts with the province for intervention, but it looks like the intervention came late as we are going into the elections for next year. There is also bad governance here, and a lack of adherence to financial systems in terms of which about R46 million cannot be accounted for. We are calling for the House to give the administrator a chance to ensure that there is planning, budgets, institutional development and good governance.
We therefore recommend the approval of section 139(1)(b) in that the administrator should make sure that there is skills training for all involved; that there is functionality of the local labour forum; and that Salga comes into play.
With regard to the Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality, we reported on this municipality last year. I don't believe we need to go into the background. All that we request of the House is an extension precisely because there are outstanding issues. Amongst these issues is making sure that a municipal manager is in place, that other section 57 managers are appointed, and that there is further improvement in the current administrative situation.
We therefore recommend that the extension be approved by this House. This is the extension in terms of section 139(1)(b). As a committee, we want to urge, through you, Chairperson, that the committee speedily be given a second researcher as the committee is working on its own. We don't have a researcher in this regard. Thank you. [Applause.]
Debate concluded.
Question put: That the Report on the Oversight visit to Tswaing Local Municipality be adopted.
IN FAVOUR: Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Northern Cape, North West, Western Cape.
Reports on Oversight visit to Tswaing Local Municipality accordingly adopted in accordance with section 65 of the Constitution.
Question put: That the Report on the Oversight visit to Madibeng Local Municipality be adopted.
IN FAVOUR: Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Northern Cape, North West, Western Cape.
Report on Oversight visit to Madibeng Local Municipality accordingly adopted in accordance with section 65 of the constitution. Question put: That the Report on the Oversight visit to Ngaka Modin Molema District Municipality be adopted.
IN FAVOUR: Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Northern Cape, North West, Western Cape.
Report on Oversight visit to Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality accordingly adopted in accordance with section 65 of the Constitution.
Question put: That the Report on the Oversight visit to Masilonyana Local Municipality be adopted.
IN FAVOUR: Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Northern Cape, North West, Western Cape.
Report on Oversight visit to Masilonyana Local Municipality accordingly adopted in accordance with section 65 of the Constitution.