The Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) has backed the National Council of Provinces’ (NCOP) move to dissolve the Thabazimbi local municipality. Years of corruption, financial mismanagement, and political infighting have rendered the municipality incapable of providing essential services to its community.

The Thabazimbi municipality has been under administration due to serious governance issues. The municipality has spent over R13 million on legal battles stemming from political disputes that lasted nearly two years. These funds, meant for critical service delivery, were diverted away from vital services such as water, sanitation, roads, and community lighting. At one point, many municipal employees went without their monthly wages due to the financial strain.

A debt crisis compounds the municipality’s challenges, with over R304 million owed to Eskom and R198 million to Magalies Water. Although a payment plan was proposed for Magalies Water, it was rejected due to the insufficient strategy to address the growing debt.

This collapse of governance has prompted the NCOP to step in, with all nine provinces voting in favor of the dissolution. Mxolisi Kaunda, chairperson of the committee, confirmed that Thabazimbi is no longer able to meet the objectives set out for local governments in Section 152 of the Constitution. The decision to dissolve the municipality, Kaunda said, is crucial to resetting the system and ensuring that residents receive the services they desperately need.

Other municipalities, such as Ditsobotla in the North West and Emfuleni in Gauteng, face similar struggles with corruption and service delivery failures, highlighting a broader governance issue across the country.

To ensure accountability, Cogta has recommended a full forensic investigation under Section 106 of the Municipal Systems Act. This probe will focus on uncovering financial mismanagement, fraud, and corruption within the Thabazimbi municipality.

The dissolution aims to reset the governance structure and improve service delivery for the community, with hopes of a more transparent and accountable administration emerging from the current dysfunction.