DITSOBOTLA, North West — Councillors in the Ditsobotla Local Municipality have strongly criticized the national government intervention, stating that little has changed one year after the troubled North West municipality was placed under Section 139 administration. The backlash emerged during a recent engagement with Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa, who returned to the region to assess progress on municipal stabilization efforts.
During the engagement, local councillors argued that the intervention has failed to deliver tangible results on the ground. They accused the appointed intervention team of sidelining elected officials and failing to provide adequate support when raising pressing issues affecting residents in their respective wards.
A primary point of contention is the severe housing shortage. Councillors highlighted that discussions about RDP housing allocations remain circular, with communities such as Bakerville and surrounding areas continuing to experience a serious and growing housing backlog. Residents in these areas have been waiting for years for formal housing delivery, with no visible acceleration in construction or allocation.
Access to basic services, particularly water, was another major focus of the councillors’ grievances. Representatives pointed to Blydeville as a critical area of concern, noting that residents have been without water for two months. Despite repeated assurances from officials about the drilling of new boreholes and ongoing improvements, councillors stressed that there is currently no running water in the area. They further highlighted an inconsistent service delivery pattern, noting that while a central portion of the area receives water, adjacent extensions (Extension 3 and Extension 4) remain completely dry.
The deteriorating state of local infrastructure and incomplete projects also drew sharp criticism. Residents in Ward 19 reported ongoing struggles with internal road networks, a lack of electricity, and stalled development projects. Specifically, a project aimed at installing streetlights remains incomplete. Councillors expressed frustration over the lack of transparency, noting that while a consultant was reportedly appointed to oversee the work, the community remains entirely clueless about the project’s status or timeline.
In response to the mounting criticisms, Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa urged the municipal council to intensify its own efforts to stabilize operations. Acknowledging the severity of the situation, Hlabisa revealed that he had held morning discussions with the municipality’s mayor, speaker, and chief whip to address the systemic challenges.
The Minister announced his intention to engage directly with the national Minister of Finance to expedite crucial funding. He explained that money originally allocated to the municipality has been delayed due to technicalities surrounding the official gazetting of the allocation. Hlabisa emphasized that fast-tracking this administrative process is essential to enable the financially challenged municipality to meet its basic service delivery obligations and restore stability to the region.
The engagement underscores the growing tension between local leadership and national administrators as communities continue to wait for measurable improvements in their daily living conditions.
