National Government Steps In to Stabilise Crisis-Hit Ditsobotla Municipality

Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa has reaffirmed his department’s commitment to restoring stability, accountability, and reliable service delivery in the troubled Ditsobotla Local Municipality in the North West province.

Cabinet Invokes Section 139(7)

The intervention follows Cabinet’s approval to invoke Section 139(7) of the Constitution, which empowers the national government to assume responsibility for a municipality when provincial interventions have failed.

Ditsobotla has been plagued by persistent governance failures, financial collapse, and service delivery breakdowns, despite previous interventions. The municipality was dissolved in September 2022, reconstituted in December 2022, and subjected to multiple provincial interventions, none of which succeeded in restoring stability.

“Every Municipality Must Work. The people of Ditsobotla deserve reliable services, ethical leadership, and a municipality that is financially sound and responsive to their needs,” Hlabisa declared during his visit to the municipality on Tuesday.

A Municipality in Decline

The scale of dysfunction in Ditsobotla is severe:

• The municipality has adopted unfunded budgets for five consecutive years.

• It has accumulated over R1.6 billion in unpaid creditors.

• It has defaulted on salary payments and fallen behind on obligations to Eskom.

• Court-ordered recovery measures have been ignored.

• Services have stalled, with unreliable water and electricity supply, waste management failures, and halted infrastructure projects.

Civil society and business organisations have taken the municipality to court multiple times, underscoring the extent of the crisis and the urgency of decisive intervention.

Minister’s Commitment

Hlabisa, addressing councillors, officials, and residents, emphasised that the intervention is not about seizing power, but about restoring credibility, trust, and functionality.

“We will ensure that the financial recovery plan is implemented effectively to benefit residents and rebuild public trust,” he said.

National and Provincial Support Measures

National and provincial governments have already deployed technical and oversight support through CoGTA, the Municipal Infrastructure Support Agent (MISA), and other sector departments, including the Department of Electricity and Energy.

Key steps include:

• Deployment of a multidisciplinary Provincial Executive Representative (PER) team to provide technical, financial, and governance expertise.

• A skills audit and employee verification process to address irregular appointments.

• Oversight mechanisms to ensure compliance with governance and financial regulations.

Appointment of National Cabinet Representative

To spearhead the turnaround effort, Cabinet has appointed Kopung Ralikontsane as the National Cabinet Representative (NCR), supported by a multidisciplinary team of governance and service delivery experts.

The NCR will:

• Oversee all municipal accounts and procurement processes.

• Implement a financial recovery plan in partnership with the National Treasury.

• Deploy technical and governance support via MISA and other national partners.

• Lead institutional reforms to address political instability, irregular appointments, and systemic governance failures.

Tackling Corruption and Mismanagement

A Joint Operations Task Team is being established, comprising the South African Police Service (SAPS), the State Security Agency (SSA), the Department of Justice, and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA). This unit will investigate corruption, maladministration, and irregular appointments within the municipality.

Hlabisa stressed that the intervention is part of a long-term transformation strategy, not just a temporary fix. “This is about rebuilding trust between government and residents through accountability and service delivery that works,” he said.

Restoring Public Confidence

The national intervention in Ditsobotla signals government’s determination to ensure municipalities are financially sustainable, professionally managed, and service-oriented.

If successful, the recovery plan could serve as a blueprint for stabilising other dysfunctional municipalities across South Africa, many of which face similar challenges of political instability, weak governance, and financial mismanagement.