Klerksdorp town hall, where the offices of the City of Matlosana Local Municipality are located.
Image: Ian Landsberg / Independent Newspapers
The troubled Matlosana Local Municipality in North West is set to be placed under provincial administration after the ANC’s provincial leadership called for the invocation of Section 139(1)(b) of the Constitution, citing a collapse in governance, financial management, and service delivery.
The move would allow the provincial government to assume executive authority over the municipality, effectively sidelining the council, after determining that it has failed to fulfil its constitutional and legislative obligations.
ANC Provincial Secretary Louis Diremelo said the intervention was unavoidable and aimed at restoring stability, accountability, and basic service delivery in a municipality that has been under sustained strain for years.
“This intervention is both political and administrative in nature. It is intended to restore effective governance, ensure service delivery, and safeguard the interests and dignity of the people of Matlosana,” Diremelo said.
Matlosana, which includes Klerksdorp, Orkney, Stilfontein, and Hartbeesfontein, has long been plagued by collapsing infrastructure, erratic water supply, electricity outages, ballooning debt, and repeated leadership changes.
The Auditor-General reports in recent years have flagged serious weaknesses in financial controls, procurement processes, and consequence management, while residents have staged frequent protests over water shortages, sewage spills, and uncollected refuse.
The latest push for administration follows what the ANC describes as “heightened engagements” between its provincial leadership and the Matlosana council caucus during a meeting held at the JB Marks municipal chamber on February 8, 2026.
Diremelo said the intervention team would be tasked with implementing the findings of investigations conducted under Section 106 of the Municipal Systems Act, which allows provincial authorities to investigate maladministration, fraud, or corruption within municipalities.
“These findings will be implemented without fear or favour,” he said.
The decision to place Matlosana under administration comes amid an escalating legal and political battle over the attempted reinstatement of Chief Financial Officer Mercy Phetla.
Phetla was dismissed following a formal disciplinary process in which an independent presiding officer found her guilty and imposed a sanction. The municipal manager subsequently issued a termination letter, as required by law.
However, last week, a majority of councillors adopted a resolution purporting to reinstate her, prompting a sharp response from the Democratic Alliance, which has accused the council of acting unlawfully.
The DA has announced plans to pursue legal action against councillors who supported the resolution, arguing that council has no authority to overturn the outcome of a concluded disciplinary process.
That position was reinforced when the Mahikeng High Court issued an urgent interim order suspending the council’s resolution to reinstate Phetla.
In its ruling, the court ordered that, pending the final determination of the matter, the resolution adopted on February 4, 2026, may not be implemented and that Phetla is not entitled to report for duty or perform any functions as CFO.
The court also confirmed that council does not act as an appeal body and has no power to reverse or amend the outcome of a disciplinary hearing.
The CFO saga has exposed deep divisions within council and raised fresh concerns about adherence to the rule of law, governance standards, and political interference in administrative matters.
Under Section 139(1)(b), the provincial executive would appoint an administrator to take over key functions, stabilise finances, ensure compliance with legislation, and implement corrective measures.
The ANC has framed the intervention as part of a broader effort to “fix local government” in the province, in line with resolutions taken at its extended provincial executive committee lekgotla.
“As the governing movement, we remain unwavering in our commitment to ethical leadership, cooperative governance and constitutional accountability across all spheres of government,” Diremelo said.
Lerato Gambu, the spokesperson for the MEC of Department of Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements, and Traditional Affairs, said: “The department wishes to indicate that the decision to place Matlosana under Section 139(1)(b) is subject a decision by the Provincial Executive Council.
“In this regard, we can place on record that such a decision has been arrived at after numerous interventions to turn around the situation at Matlosana Local Municipality proved unsuccessful. CoGTA has begun a process to officially communicate the decision which includes consultation of various stakeholders, including the Minister of CoGTA.”
karabo.ngoepe@inl.co.za