COGTA minister Hlabisa targets underperforming municipalities

JOHANNESBURG – The newly appointed Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) Minister, Velenkosini Hlabisa, says national government will start strengthening its hand on poorly run municipalities.

Hlabisa says the department has many interventions in place, including placing municipalities under administration or dissolving council. 

The Inkatha Freedom Party president said the fact that most municipalities are governed by the African National Congress is not an issue. 

READ: COGTA Minister Hlabisa says all GNU parties are committed to a working government

Hlabisa added the foundation of the Government of National Unity was to ensure that the country works better.

"I am very confident with sufficient evidence provided with all the documentation in terms of how far we have tried to intervene, but it all doesn’t. There will be an easy way to say let us go and allow people, elect people who will deliver services. On that one, we have a common approach because we want a local government that is going to work for our people," Hlabisa said.