Evaluating Interventions of Municipality Performance: The Case of Emfuleni Local Municipality in Sedibeng District Municipality, Gauteng Province, South Africa

Description

Page: 1325-1328

Engeline Zwane (Department of Public Administration and Management, University of Limpopo, South Africa)

In June 2018, Emfuleni was first placed under administration. Citing pervasive corruption, poor financial management, and an escalating debt crisis, the Gauteng Government assumed control of the administration at that time. Ryder (2024) has alluded that, one of the saddest examples of municipal mismanagement in the province’s history is the financial collapse of Emfuleni Local Municipality malfunctions in administration. Despite Gauteng Government’s numerous actions under the Constitution’s Section 139, the circumstances, which begs the crucial question, is the territory really prepared in the direction of assistance metropolises popular necessity or is Emfuleni just another victim of bureaucratic inertia as well as bureaucratic posture. The NCOP Cooperative Governance and Public Administration (2023) according to Section 139 intervention: termination of intervention in Emfuleni Local Municipality, the Committee was informed that the Gauteng Provincial Government’s Executive Council has resolved to terminate the intervention by August 31, 2022. Beginning on September 1, 2022, the municipality assumed full responsibility for all the duties that had previously been the subject of the Section 139 intervention after the appointed administrators completed their duties. Notwithstanding the initial advancements, the Council continued to encounter difficulties in carrying out its executive responsibilities. The provision of electricity was interrupted because to outdated infrastructure. 85 000 households in former Black townships had metering problems. The Vaal River’s environmental quality suffered from an increase in sewer spills because of the need for expensive repair on outdated infrastructure. Refuse removal had a huge backlog, and landfill airspace was getting less. Due to low expenditure and the failure to submit new projects, municipal grants were denied. Public participation mechanisms were not implemented effectively by the municipality. Emfuleni Local Municipality include the following composed of small and large urban and suburban areas, Vanderbijlpark, Vereeniging, Evaton, Sebokeng, Sharpeville, Boipatong, Bophelong, Tshepiso, Bonane, Steel Park, Duncanville, Unitas Park, Arcon Park, Sonlandpark, Waldrift, Ruster Vaal, Roshnee, and Debonair Park. Desktop method of research will be utilised for the benefit of getting all the facts, since the problem identified has been ongoing in a long time, the researcher is eager to find out the in-depth of the problem with the mentioned municipality, also recommend the resolutions to the problem which has been ongoing for too long.