The North West provincial government has urged the national government to invoke Section 139(7) of the Constitution to intervene in the dysfunctional Ditsobotla Local Municipality, citing years of failed attempts to stabilize the crisis-ridden council.
The municipality, currently under Section 139(5) provincial intervention, remains unable to fulfill its basic service delivery obligations. Despite the dissolution and reconstitution of its council in 2022, financial mismanagement, political instability, and administrative collapse persist.
A Decade of Failure
Provincial authorities admit that their interventions over the past 10 years have not resolved the municipality’s deep-rooted problems. The situation has deteriorated, with recurring issues such as:
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Financial mismanagement: The municipality received disclaimed audit opinions for nine out of ten years between 2011 and 2021.
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Political chaos: At one point, the council had two mayors, two speakers, and two municipal managers simultaneously, crippling governance.
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Service delivery collapse: Residents suffer from failing infrastructure and inadequate basic services.
North West Cooperative Governance MEC acknowledged the failure of provincial efforts, stating: “We have dissolved the municipality, sent administrators, and done everything possible. Now, national government must step in with a full team and resources—not just an individual—to fix this.”
Mixed Reactions to National Intervention
The proposal has drawn support from lobby group Sika, which has repeatedly taken the municipality to court over service delivery failures. A representative emphasized:
“National intervention will only work if there’s political will to prioritize communities and involve private businesses. We must remove incompetent appointees and collaborate for real solutions.”
A governance expert expressed optimism, citing the national government’s past success in stabilizing the North West provincial administration. “If they intervene properly, they can restore stability in both politics and administration,” the expert said.
ANC’s Controversial Proposal
Earlier this year, the ANC in North West suggested dissolving Ditsobotla entirely and merging its areas with neighboring municipalities—a move the provincial government now rejects. The MEC argued:
“Dissolving it won’t help. Voters may just return the same leadership. We must fix the problem, not avoid it.”
As calls for national intervention grow, residents remain caught in the crossfire of political and administrative dysfunction, awaiting a lasting solution.
