ANC North West instructs provincial government to invoke Section 139(1)(b) of the Constitution to place troubled Matlosana Municipality under provincial administration.
The Klerksdorp-based municipality is already under a financial recovery plan but continues to make headlines for all the wrong reasons, including corruption allegations and ongoing infighting among ANC councillors.
The directive, issued on Sunday, 8 February, allows the provincial government to assume certain executive functions of the municipality.
The ANC said the municipality has failed to meet its constitutional and legislative obligations.
Provincial secretary Louis Diremelo said the intervention is necessary to stabilise governance and address persistent service delivery failures.
"Millions of rands have gone unaccounted for in the municipality over the years. This intervention is both politically and administratively necessary to restore effective governance, ensure service delivery and protect the interests of the people of Matlosana," said Diremelo.
The municipality appeared before the provincial Legislature's Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa) in 2025, where it was accused of squandering R1,1 billion that remains unaccounted for.
Scopa chairman Smuts Matshe condemned the municipal council for incurring unauthorised expenditure amounting to R1,1 billion during the 2023/24 financial year.
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During the committee meeting, it was revealed that the municipality allegedly continued to misuse public funds without consequence.
Diremelo said under the intervention, an appointed team will be required to implement findings from an investigation conducted in terms of Section 106 of the Local Government: Municipal Systems Act.
"The findings must be implemented without fear or favour," he said.
The decision follows a meeting between the ANC's provincial leadership and the party's caucus in Matlosana held in Potchefstroom on Sunday.
The move also forms part of resolutions adopted at a recent Extended Provincial Executive Committee Lekgotla aimed at addressing dysfunction in local government.
The ANC said it will maintain political oversight throughout the intervention to ensure governance is restored and the municipality returns to sustainable service delivery.
Meanwhile, residents in areas such as Kanana, Khuma and Tigane continue to suffer as services collapse. Roads are riddled with potholes and water infrastructure has deteriorated, leaving communities frustrated and fed up.
