The Eastern Cape MEC for the Department of Cooperate Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) Xolile Nqatha has appointed Basil Mase as administrator for the OR Tambo District Municipality. The appointment of Mase follows the disbandment of the council by the MEC due to continuous conflicts that hampered the service delivery in the district municipality within the leadership. The MEC invoked Section 139 (1) of the Constitution.
The decision was taken after the municipal council demonstrated failure to fulfil its constitutional mandate as a result of many defiant practices from the council.
Mase was today introduced as the Administrator of the now-dissolved OR Tambo District Municipality. MEC Qata stressed that he has full confidence in Basil’s leadership qualities as an experienced man with the requisite expertise. Mase will now take full responsibility for the Executive Mayor, the Municipal Council and the Accounting Officer until a new council is elected.
“This is the decision of the Executive Council and it was a difficult decision to arrive at and was taken after all our best efforts had failed. Basic services like the provision of water have collapsed to the detriment of the people hence our decision is to serve the interest of the people,” said Nqatha.
He urged all the stakeholders to work hard to stabilize the institution and turn things around to benefit the people ” Administrators have a professional responsibility to safeguard the integrity of the intervention and avoid serving the factional interest of certain politicians,” he said.
