This official statement provides Mogale City’s position on “The Devi Show” – an infotainment programme that aired on Sunday, the 7th of July 2024 and a repeat on Wednesday, the 10th of July 2024, mischievously and inappropriately titled “Mogale City Mayhem”.
In the show, the following allegations and factually incorrect statements were made upon which the Political Management Team of the Municipality met with the Head of Administration and his team to address these serious allegations, the response thereof is as follows:
The appointment of the Municipal Manager by the Democratic Alliance
Municipal Managers are appointed by the municipal council in terms of the 2014 Regulations on Appointment and Conditions of Employment of Senior Managers. In simple, a position is declared vacant, advertised, applications received, shortlisting undertaken by a panel, interviews conducted, due diligence screening undertaken, panel recommendations are then made to the municipal council and the municipal council appoints a suitably qualified and competent candidate. This standard process was followed with the appointment of Mr. Msezana. The assertion that he was appointed by the Democratic Alliance, or a Democratic Alliance Executive Mayor is factually incorrect and deliberately fabricated to mislead the public.
Municipal Governance
A false insinuation and articulation was made to the fact that there is no accountability at Mogale City – except through the PAC Councillor. Not only is this false but represents an egoistic misrepresentation of the leadership of Council, and limited to no understanding of Council operations. Within Mogale City, the Speaker presides over the Council, and is part of a Political Management Team structure comprised of the Chief Whip, Executive Mayor and the Speaker. Executive matters are led by the Executive Mayor supported by the Mayoral Committee. Portfolio Committees and MPAC deal with accountability matters. Engagement on Council matters is undertaken by all the 77 Councillors of Mogale City. It is therefore not only impossible, but non-existent at Mogale City that one Councillor can single-handedly hold the municipality to account.
Non-Compliance with Supply Chain Management
It is incorrect that Mogale City does not comply with Supply Chain Management regulations and requirements. A detailed report was presented, as is in Council through Supply Chain Management Activity Quarterly Report and the process undertaken since 2022 pursuant to the need to continue the provision of services to the community of Mogale City (reference to Section 152 of the Constitution), and the protection of municipal assets (Section 63 of the MFMA), management took a decision to approve service delivery projects through a deviation process. It is legally applicable and Section 36 of the Municipal Finance Management Act empowers only the accounting officer to do so. The decisions were reported to Council, National Treasury, Gauteng Provincial Treasury and the Auditor General. We therefore find it extremely unethical, inappropriate and malicious that the focus is only on a few projects – which are flighted with a view to create a negative narrative rather than promote accurate reporting.
Irregular appointments of turnkey service providers
The statement is both false and incorrect. Four service providers were appointed by Mogale City following a competitive bidding process. The competitive bidding process was undertaken through tender number: PWRT (PMU) 42/2019. These service providers provide transactional advisory consulting, planning and implementation of multidisciplinary projects linking the review of annual financial statements and asset management.
Fabrications with respect to Specific Projects
The following initiatives were also mentioned with deliberate misstatements and outdated photos taken with the intention of creating a negative, lopsided reality:
- The Municipal Offices
The total development is about 35 000 square metres and is a multi-year initiative which will be developed subject to funds being secured. Mogale City is only implementing Phase 1 – which is 13,600 square metres and is currently at 35% completion. The project is funded through the NDPG and does not take away from the municipal funds as it is conditional grant funded. The project delays were due to a product of brownfield site development and geotechnical conditions.
- Percy Stewart and Fliphuman Wastewater Treatment Plants:
These projects entail the refurbishment of the treatment plants. Phase 1 and 2 of Percy Stewart are complete, and the budget that was allocated to Mogale City since 2022/2023 until to date is R15 million. Fliphuman Phase 1 is complete and Phase 2 is 85% complete. Since the 2022/2023 Financial Year until to date, Mogale City received R68 million. It must also be highlighted that there has been severe vandalism at these plants amounting to R48 million, with 12 cases also opened with the SAPS accordingly as approved by Council.
- Brickvale Housing Development
This is a 6, 480 units development that comprises infrastructure investment (roads, stormwater, pumpstations) and normal and military veterans housing development. It is also funded through the HSDG and not from Mogale City’s own funding. In this case too, old pictures were taken to validate a negative narrative. Around 600 families have already been allocated houses at this development.
- The Taxi Rank
The development of the taxi rank has been completed. It also never “ballooned” as is said in “The Devi Show”. Mogale City made a motivation to the National Treasury for realistic funding as the initial funding was insufficient to complete the project. Such funding was approved.
Mogale City “Mayhem”
Contrary to insinuations on the show that Mogale City is dogged with service delivery failures, since the new administration Mogale City is well governed and is improving on its service delivery efforts. Reference to “mayhem” is a gross distortion of reality and an attempt to assess the City through the blinkers of the previous mayhem. Not only is “mayhem” a cover up, but an attempt to take away the tremendous efforts of progress made by the current officials and leadership of Mogale towards making the City productive, well governed and delivering services – albeit within major financial constraints. Here are some key highlights of the current administration and leadership which can attest to that:
- A stable government of local unity (under a leadership trio of ANC, EFF and ATM)
- A massive recruitment drive since 2008: 317 vacancies finalized including interns and EPWP – translating to a R118 millon monthly human capital investment
- A stable relationship between Management and Labour
- Mogale City as a beneficiary of the Municipal Eskom Debt Relief Programme – R266 debt written off (a first)
- Mogale City as a recipient of the 2022/3 SALGA Municipal Achievement Award (a first since MSCOA)
- A 50% reduction in money owed to creditors: from R 993 801 325 million in 2022 to R 486,136,593,42 in June 2024
- Investment in our in-house water tankers infrastructure – leading to an annual saving of R168 million (also a first)
- R150 million worth of infrastructure/ service delivery projects completed between 2022/3 – 2023/4 Financial Year
- A funded budget achiever (another first since MSCOA inception in 2017)
- Increasing HSDG from R42 in 2022 to R141 million on 2023/4 financial year (Financial Year)
- Securing WSIG from R46 million in 2022 to R100 million in 2024/2025
- Securing NDPG funding from R10 million (precinct planning) in 2022 to R152 million for municipal headquarters
- These increased allocations attest to building the credibility of Mogale City in its relationship with its funders
- As earlier indicated, the flagship projects (Brickvale, Leratong, Municipal Headquarters) are all funded through the grants and do not come from own funding
As is the primary role of the Speaker to exercise effective oversight over the executive authority of the municipality and responsible for the ethics and accountability of the Municipal Council as per the Structures Act I can therefore safely argue that Mogale City is not perfect but is improving and is definitely not in “mayhem” unless viewed through the eyes of unethical journalism as also cited by other complainants of the show. It is therefore our utmost appeal to the entire community of Mogale City that they join and support us in rebuilding the City whilst ensuring that we are accountable for the decisions we make as the institution.