Cabinet
Cabinet has approved placing Ditsobotla Local Municipality in the North West under administration, following a review of its current challenges aimed at restoring stability and improving service delivery. The decision was made at Wednesday’s Cabinet meeting on 3 September 2025, where the Executive received an update on the status of the local municipality, invoking section 139(7) of the Constitution to address years of governance failures, financial mismanagement, and criminal activities that have plagued the area.
Cabinet’s Decision and Legal Basis
The Cabinet’s approval marks a significant national intervention in the troubled Ditsobotla Local Municipality, which has been grappling with severe instability for several years. “This measure is aimed at restoring stability in the municipality. Ditsobotla will be placed under administration in terms of section 139(7) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996.
“This intervention is done in accordance with the Municipal Finance Management Act of 2003. A Recovery Plan will be instituted under the stewardship of the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs and the Department of Finance.
“The Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs will coordinate Inter-Governmental Relations structures to facilitate restoration of administrative functions to assist the municipality in fulfilling its legislative mandate. A Joint Operations Task Team will also focus on criminal activities,” Cabinet said on Friday.
Section 139(7) allows for national government intervention when provincial efforts fail, escalating from previous provincial attempts under section 139(1)(b) in 2022. The National Department of Cooperative Governance (CoGTA) has taken the lead, placing Ditsobotla under this provision to enforce a comprehensive turnaround.
Reasons for the Intervention
Ditsobotla, located in the Ngaka Modiri Molema District and encompassing towns like Lichtenburg (the administrative seat), Coligny, and Itsoseng, has faced chronic issues including political infighting, council dissolutions, financial irregularities, and service delivery breakdowns. Residents have endured prolonged water shortages, unreliable electricity supply, uncollected waste, and pothole-riddled roads, leading to frequent protests and violence.
Financial audits have revealed mismanagement, with the municipality owing millions to creditors like Eskom and water boards, resulting in service interruptions. In 2023, the Auditor-General flagged irregular expenditure exceeding R200 million, including unauthorised payments and procurement fraud. Criminal elements have infiltrated operations, with arrests of officials for corruption, such as the 2024 case involving a municipal manager accused of embezzling R5 million.
Political instability peaked with multiple council dissolutions since 2021, factional battles within the ANC, and no-confidence motions disrupting governance. Service delivery protests turned violent, with incidents of arson and road blockades in Lichtenburg in early 2025. The Democratic Alliance (DA) and business group Sakeliga have long advocated for national intervention, with Sakeliga’s legal action in August 2025 pressuring Cabinet to act under section 139(7).
The escalation to national level follows failed provincial interventions, where administrators appointed in 2022 and 2023 could not stabilise the municipality due to ongoing disruptions and lack of cooperation from councillors.
Implementation of the Recovery Plan
A Recovery Plan will be rolled out under CoGTA and National Treasury’s guidance, focusing on financial stabilisation, infrastructure repairs, and governance reforms. This includes debt restructuring, budget controls, and anti-corruption measures. The plan aims to restore basic services like water and sanitation, where over 40% of households in Ditsobotla lack reliable access, according to 2024 Stats SA data.
CoGTA will coordinate inter-governmental relations (IGR) structures, involving provincial and local entities to rebuild administrative capacity. A Joint Operations Task Team, comprising law enforcement agencies like the Hawks and SAPS, will target criminal syndicates involved in tender fraud, extortion, and sabotage of infrastructure.
Ministers from CoGTA and Finance will communicate the decision through stakeholder meetings: on 9 September 2025 with the North West Provincial Executive Committee (PEC), 10 September with the municipal council, and 11 September with the Ditsobotla Service Association (DSA). These engagements aim to foster collaboration and address immediate concerns.
The North West Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs has committed to collaborating with all relevant stakeholders to resolve challenges at the municipality. The department made the commitment during a meeting with the Ditsobotla Local Municipality and the Ditsobotla Service Association (DSA) to discuss challenges confronting the municipality.
Stakeholder Reactions and Support
The DA in North West welcomed the decision, crediting their persistent advocacy for highlighting the crisis. “Hope restored: DA victory secures national government intervention in Ditsobotla under section 139(7),” stated their provincial leader, noting that residents have suffered from collapsed services and corruption for too long.
Sakeliga, which filed urgent court papers in July 2025 demanding intervention, hailed the move as compliance with their legal demands. They argued that provincial failures necessitated national oversight to protect businesses and residents from further decline.
Community groups like the DSA, representing ratepayers and businesses, expressed relief, hoping the administration will end the chaos that has deterred investment and exacerbated poverty in the region, where unemployment exceeds 40%.
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