Cabinet complies with Sakeliga’s legal demands to take charge in Ditsobotla

Sakeliga welcomes Cabinet’s compliance with our legal demands to implement a Section 139(7) intervention in the collapsed Ditsobotla Local Municipality.

This means the national government is now responsible for running the municipality.

While this represents a necessary step toward resolving the dysfunctionality plaguing communities of Lichtenburg, Coligny and surrounding areas, the decision was effectively taken “on the steps of the court” as the government’s last option to avoid personal cost orders against senior officials.

Sakeliga expresses its gratitude to the communities, organisations, and businesses in Lichtenburg and the surrounding area who have helped bring about this progress over several years, particularly to the team at Agri North West. Given the extent of state failure in so many spheres across South Africa, we expect that much work still lies ahead for us and our partners.

Cabinet relents under litigation

President Cyril Ramaphosa, the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Velenkosini Hlabisa, the Minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana and other cabinet members are respondents in Sakeliga’s ongoing litigation and were on the point of having personal cost applications made against them when this decision was announced. Following our attorneys’ letter of demand last month, the State Attorney, on behalf of the respondents, informed Sakeliga that the Minister of COGTA would be recommending section 139(7) intervention to the Cabinet.

It is an indictment of their commitment to public office that the President, his Ministers, and the Cabinet itself only complied with their obligations to intervene in Ditsobotla after having been informed of the imminent likelihood of personal cost orders.

Continued vigilance

While it is appropriate to demand proper and comprehensive recovery and intervention from the national government, we must take into account the government’s record of endemic failure in South Africa, and be prepared for the necessity of further legal steps.

Years of provincial “intervention” in Ditsobotla had proven woefully inadequate, with services continuing to collapse despite official oversight.

The Cabinet’s actual actions must be continuously monitored and evaluated.

Sakeliga will – together with our local partners – stand ready to take further measures in due course where necessary.

We await official commitments from the respondents via their attorneys on compliance with our demands. Our legal team will assess the adequacy of their commitments and actions, whereafter we will make a final decision on the next steps regarding existing litigation and recovering our legal costs.