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Political Parties May Not Manage Municipalities

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Dear MyPE

The Democratic Alliance is outraged at statements made by ANC Provincial Secretary, Lulama Ngcukayitobi, in the media today, wherein he suggests that certain Eastern Cape municipalities will be managed from Calata House. The municipalities affected are Walter Sisulu, Port St. Johns, Enoch Mgijima and Mnquma.

Ngcukayitobi is quoted as saying “We have decided that, because of the chaos in some of these municipalities the (ANC) PEC must take over certain functions.”

This is simply unlawful. In particular, it contravenes s4(1) of the Local Government: Municipal Systems Act, which states the council of a municipality has the right to:

govern on its own initiative the local government affairs of the local community;
exercise the municipality’s executive and legislative authority, and to do so without improper interference.

While the DA fully concurs that these municipalities are in a completely dysfunctional state, we must not lose sight of the fact that they are in this situation precisely because of the ANC’s mismanagement. They are also not alone in this plight: why, for example, has Makana Municipality not been included in this list?

If there is indeed chaos, inefficiencies, financial non-viability and problems of political leadership, we can only question why these municipalities are not under administration, or dissolved?

The answer is simply that there is a political battle within the ANC in the Eastern Cape, which arose after their provincial congress last year, and the losers are being purged.

The DA will continue monitoring this development closely, and at the first instance of political interference in the administration of these municipalities, will seek to have the responsible persons held accountable to the full extent of the law.

The DA will also be pursuing all available avenues to address the problems through our councillors on the ground in these municipalities and through the Provincial Legislature.

Regards

Kevin Mileham MP
DA Shadow Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs

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Port Elizabethan

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