AfriForum files court documents to place Ngwathe Local Municipality under provincial administration
AfriForum submitted court documents this week in which this civil rights organisation requests that the Ngwathe Local Municipality be placed under provincial administration. This step follows the symbolic funeral for service delivery in Parys that AfriForum held in April. Ngwathe is experiencing a serious service delivery crisis, which causes the residents of all the towns under Ngwathe’s management, namely Parys, Heilbron, Koppies, Vredefort and Edenville, to receive poor to no services.
In its application, AfriForum requests that the Bloemfontein High Court declare that Ngwathe’s actions conflict with their constitutional, legislative and regulatory obligations towards residents of this municipality. Furthermore, it is argued that the municipality is failing to ensure a safe and liveable environment for residents. The collapse of the municipality is visible in, among other things:
- their failure to structure and control the municipal administration;
- the complete lack of budgets and any planning processes;
- their failure to express the basic needs of the community; and
- their utter failure to promote the social and economic growth of the community.
These actions of the Ngwathe Local Municipality are contrary to Articles 152(1) and 153(a) of the Constitution and therefore provide grounds for AfriForum’s application to have the municipality placed under provincial administration.
According to Alta Pretorius, AfriForum’s District Coordinator for the Mooirivier District, the government must urgently intervene in this municipality to prevent the total decay of Parys, Heilbron, Koppies, Vredefort and Edenville. “Urgent action is essential, otherwise, there will soon be nothing left to save. It is of critical importance that the government steps in and intervenes now, otherwise, AfriForum will consider other methods such as unauthorised agency,” concludes Pretorius.
