South Africa. Free State, Northern Cape, Lesotho and beyond.
All News
Province Takes Over Mohokare
It’s now official: Announced to the world at large by the SABC this week is the fact that the Mohokare Council is so thoroughly incompetent that it has been placed under administration.
For months Smiffie has received information from several sources about what has been described as the appalling state of affairs in the “Mickey Mouse” Council.
Suspension of executives alleged to have been involved in fraud and corruption has already been reported – but so far there has been no sign of any prosecution and as far as we know the individuals remain on suspension with full salaries.
The three towns which have the misfortune of falling within the Mohokare area all have evidence of the chaos resulting from incompetence. A Speaker who appears to believe she is a law unto herself, fails to call Council meetings, has a long record of breaking undertakings to attend scheduled sessions with community bodies.
It is understood that at present there is no Speaker or Assistant Speaker in office, following the Province’s decision to step in with an administrator. This official will have total control of all decision making on matters relating to activities normally carried out by Council officials.
He will also be responsible for calling and chairing Council meetings, as well as for establishing committees such as the finance committee which recently came in for some blistering criticism from the National Taxpayers Union for illegally cutting off power supplies to a resident in arrears on other charges for municipal services.
By taking control of Mohokare away from people who should never have been in charge in the first place, Province is simply acknowledging the fact that from top to bottom the Council and Municipalities have failed to deliver even the most basic services such as road maintenance and water .
Discussion
One comment for “Province Takes Over Mohokare”
Post a comment
I now things are bad by SA (or should I say western) standards. But living in Mozambique and with a holiday home in Smithfield, I am amazed at how efficient the services are. I complain about a leak in the water connection, 1 hour later there are 5 guys in front of my door. My pipes burst in Mozambique, after 2 weeks of a flooded garden, nothing yet. I pay my rates in advance and get receipts and no problems. So by SA standards things might not be as good as “the good old days” but by African standards, it’s a number 1 spot. All is relative I think. Corrupt officials? Sure, why else get a meager paying job in government or get into politics? Just get used to it. Don’t worry. I’m a hollander and we get plenty of this in Europe also. It is just that we are better at hiding it. It’s just the top doing it over there, at least in Africa it’s more of a social thing.