Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma will on Wednesday lead strategic follow-up engagements with the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality and other organisations and structures.
The municipality was placed under national administration following cabinet approval at the beginning of April.
Dlamini-Zuma will be joined by her deputy Thembisile Nkadimeng, Deputy Minister of Finance David Masondo, Premier Sisi Ntombela and COGTA MEC Mxolisi Dukwana.
A statement issued by the national COGTA office said the engagements are in keeping with the minister’s commitment during the District Development Model Presidential Imbizo recently held in Bloemfontein and cabinet’s approval to put Mangaung Metro under national administration.
“The intervention is directed at supporting the metro to improve its finances and capacity to deliver on its mandate as well as obligations, in aid of promoting sound governance and a better life for residents and also create suitable conditions for business to thrive,” read part of the statement.
Mangaung has been experiencing significant financial and service delivery failures for a prolonged period.
Announcing the decision, cabinet said the city had failed for more than two years to implement a financial recovery plan after it was placed under provincial administration.
The invocation of the national intervention means the national government will now act in the stead of the provincial executive and directly assume responsibility for all key activities.
National cabinet representatives will be deployed to run the municipality. – Staff Reporter