Mogalakwena - the battle continues

It was another week of political wrangling at the Mogalakwena municipality with the local council obtaining a court interdict preventing the administrator appointed by the MEC for co-operative governance, human settlements and traditional affairs from taking office.
With court orders and interdicts flying to and fro between Mogalakwena and the MEC’s office, the provincial government seems to be using the South African Police Service in an attempt to enforce its intensions in ways reminiscent of Apartheid South Africa.
According to a witness, a large, and seemingly militant, group of local and provincial policemen and women on Monday tore down the gates to the municipal chamber offices in an attempt to give the
appointed administrator, DH Makobe, forced access to the municipal buildings.
The mayor, Malose Mabuela, met police and Makobe outside the municipal buildings to draw their attention to a court interdict that prevents the administrator from taking office and the municipality being placed under administration.
“Respondents as well as any officials and/or other persons acting on their behalf be interdicted and restrained from:
“1.1 Implementing in any manner
whatsoever, the First Respondent’s (the provincial executive council of Limpopo) decision to assume responsibility for the executive obligations of the Applicant (Mogalakwena municipality) in terms of Section 139(1)(b) of the constitution.
“1.2 Interfering in any manner whatsoever with the council applicant, its municipal manager and/or any of its officials’ ability or right to exercise its powers or perform its functions in terms of the constitution and other applicable legislation,” the order issued by Justice JW Louw in the Pretoria High Court reads.
This order applies until the municipality’s appeal is heard against an order that Section 139(1)(b) be invoked at the municipality.
Attempts by the Coghsta MEC, Ishmael Kgetjepe, to get the municipality under administration came in the wake of the local council sacking former mayor, Thlalefi Mashemaite, as well as members of the executive committee for their alleged involvement in irregular and wasteful expenditure of municipal funds.
These allegations stem from a forensic audit into municipal affairs by the internationally recognised auditing firm, KPMG.
While Mogalakwena councillors are hoping provincial government will support it in stomping out the alleged corruption highlighted in the KPMG-report, the Coghsta MEC seems hell-bent on taking over full control of the municipality despite the trust community members place in the municipal manager, William Kekana.
The administrator waiting in the wings to take over control of the municipality is a former municipal manager who does not hold the trust of the community, municipal officials or councillors.
“He is just another looter who is trying to get his hands on the wealth of this municipality,” said Kekana.
Mogalakwena Municipality is one of the few municipalities in South Africa that still has a positive bank balance. The municipality's appeal will be heard in the Pretoria High Court next week.