Challenges experienced by the Inkwanca Local Municipality  have resulted to the disruption of service delivery, such as the provision of water to the community of Molteno.

The Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs in the Eastern Cape (COGTA-EC) will now intervene to resolve these challenges.

“It is clear that the leadership of the municipality is failing in its executive authority, notwithstanding the support and interventions by COGTA-EC to stabilise it,” COGTA-EC said in a statement.

“It is against this background, that COGTA-EC is gearing itself to implement a more radical approach to bring stability in the interest of the community of the area. Our patience has run out, hence there is a sense of urgency to deal with issues bedevilling Inkwanca within the confines of the law.”

 

Challenges

Some of the challenges include:

• refusal by the leadership of the municipality to implement the recommendations of a comprehensive forensic report on fraud and corruption. The issue is being contested in court by the leadership of the municipality
• non-payment of some employees for a period of five months and suspension of others without following due processes
• illegal and unlawful removal of the seat of the municipality from Molteno to Sterkstroom
• unauthorised removal of the municipal server from Molteno to Sterkstroom thereby disrupting the operations of the municipality
• lack of support and co-operation by the leadership of the municipality to the Task Team appointed by COGTA-EC to unlock service delivery challenges.

 

Urgent intervention

The urgent intervention will encompass enlisting the support of the national department and other state law enforcement organs to address issues of fraud and corruption unearthed by the forensic report. “COGTA-EC will act decisively to prevent the further division of the community which seeks to satisfy interest and egos of certain individuals,” it said.

“Our department remains committed and willing to work with leadership of the municipality in the context of co-operative governance to create better communities and move Inkwanca municipality forward.”