Another Citizen Group Takes Its Local Municipality To Court

IT SEEMS the citizens of North West province have had it with dysfunctional local governments. Moneyweb recently reported on a judgment in the Mmabatho High Court handing over control of water and sewage services in Kgetlengrivier to local residents after they had been left to rot.

Now a non-profit group called the Centre for Good Governance and Social Justice has brought a case before the same court, asking it to remove the municipal manager of Mamusa Local Municipality in North West province (based in Schweizer-Reneke), arguing that the manager is unqualified for the job and has run it into the ground.

Political pressure

“This court case came about because the municipality was placed under tremendous pressure by one local political faction to employ the manager, despite the fact that the interview panel did not recommend him for the post for want of qualifications and experience,” says Mandla Mpempe, executive director