Provincial intervention outcomes in Makana Local Municipality in the Eastern Cape Province

• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1002/pa.1714
• Published date: 01 November 2018
• Date: 01 November 2018
• Author: Teyisi Zolani,Ogochukwu Iruoma Nzewi

ACADEMIC PAPER

Provincial intervention outcomes in Makana Local Municipality

in the Eastern Cape Province

Teyisi Zolani |Ogochukwu Iruoma Nzewi

Department of Public Administration, Faculty

of Management and Commerce, University of

Fort Hare (UFH), King Williamstown's Town,

Eastern Cape, South Africa

Correspondence

Teyisi Zolani, Department of Public

administration, Faculty of Management and

Commerce, University of Fort Hare (UFH),

115 Bisho, King Williamstown's Town 6500,

Eastern Cape, South Africa.

Email: zolaniteyisi@gmail.com

The main aim of this article is to assess Provincial intervention outcomes in Makana

Local Municipality, identify factors, which cause unsuccessful Provincial intervention,

and lastly, measure the extent to which these factors played a role during intervention

in Makana Local Municipality. Provincial interventions have been granted a legal and

constitutional status by South African Constitution, Section 100 –139 and 216.

Therefore, Provincial interventions have been used to assist municipalities that are

failing to achieve their constitutional mandate as a result of multiple issues, such as,

financial instability, corruption, maladministration, poor leadership and management,

and political tensions. Interventions by the Province are therefore meant to find

long‐term solutions to the problems municipalities find themselves in. It is against this

background that this article assess the outcomes of the Provincial intervention in

Makana Local Municipality. The research utilized a qualitative approach in a form of

documentary sources and open‐ended interviews with a range of actors in Makana

Local Municipality. The study found that Provincial intervention in Makana has

resulted to some extent successful outcomes; however, there are still areas needing

further improvements in the municipality as evident by the current state of the

municipality.

The key findings of the study include an increase of 8 million in Revenue Collection,

the development of a clear, firm Creditor Payment Procedure, and the recruitment

process to start filling up critical positions; further to this, Makana received a qualified

audit opinion in 2015; in addition, the municipality is honoring the Creditors' debt

repayment plans in accordance. This is the presentation of findings on the outcomes

of Provincial intervention in Makana Municipality. The article concludes by providing

lessons for both the Province and Local government for effective interventions.

1|INTRODUCTION

Section 139(1)(a) of the Republic of South Africa Constitution (1996)

state that the Province may intervene in Local government thus inter-

vene in a way and to the extent prescribed by the Constitution. This

means that the Province may not intervene in a manner that is uncon-

stitutional. The Constitution further states that the Province must give

reasons why they intervene. The Provincial government must use Sec-

tion 139(1)(a)–(c) of the Republic of South Africa Constitution (1996)

in their interventions, thus issuing of the directive in terms of Section

139(1)(a) and assumption of responsibility in terms of Section 139(1)

(b) and the dissolution of the Council in terms of Section 139(1)(c).

The interventions in Local government affairs are authorized when

municipalities are in financial crisis, unable to provide basic services,

to improve the lives of the people, develop policies, initiate of bylaws,

and fail to implement legislation related to Local government. As a

result, Provincial intervention in terms of Section 139 aims to stabilize

the municipality and find long‐term solutions. Mohale (2013) states

that, Provincial intervention in the Local government must uproot

and eradicate all that has been identified as the hindrance and that

weakens the ability of the affected municipality to deliver services of

quality to the public in a sustainable manner.

Received: 14 March 2018 Accepted: 14 March 2018

DOI: 10.1002/pa.1714

J Public Affairs. 2018;18:e1714.

https://doi.org/10.1002/pa.1714

© 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/pa 1of5