Business organisation Sakeliga is asking the North West High Court to appoint a ‘Special Master’ in two dysfunctional municipalities to take control of water and electricity payments and pay these directly to Eskom and water suppliers.

Moneyweb reports that this is to stop corrupt or incompetent officials from diverting these funds for purposes other than settling the municipalities’ water and electricity bills.

The court is being asked for a novel remedy that goes beyond temporary fixes: Sakeliga is asking for the Special Master to not only take control of electricity and water fees but also to take over municipal administration and ensure National Treasury’s Municipal Finance Recovery Service is being adhered to.

The Special Master would have to compile evidence of corruption and report to Sakeliga, the respondents and the court.

Deposing for Sakeliga, CEO Pieter le Roux said a document prepared by the North West Department of Co-operative Governance, Human Settlements & Traditional Affairs shows almost every single municipality in the study underwent a total collapse of governance over the last 10 years.

The respondents in the case include Ditsobotla Local Municipality and Naledi Municipality, and the Ministers of Finance and Co-operative Governance & Traditional Affairs.

The two municipalities cited as respondents are debt-ridden, plagued by corruption and ‘all fiscal control has been lost’, said Le Roux.

Full Moneyweb report