The South African municipality where sewage runs in the streets

Ill governance continues to plague municipalities across South Africa, and the Tswaing Local Municipality (TLM) in the North West is a good example.

A letter from last year by the former North West MEC for Finance, Motlalepula Rosho, highlighted the frustration of getting the long-distressed municipality back in working order.

The May 2024 letter to Mayor Norah Mahlanghu, titled “Collapse of the Implementation of Mandatory Intervention in TLM” and seen by BusinessTech, presents a stark account of provincial intervention.

The Provincial Executive Representative (PER) at TLM wrote a report “highlighting pertinent issues undermining as well as frustrating the implementation of the mandatory intervention.”

The “Financial Recovery Plan (FRP)… under the auspices of mandatory guidance are being undermined and compromised.” 

Rosho said that the Municipal Finance Management Act “clearly establishes separation of roles and responsibilities” and “clearer lines of authority.” Yet, these have allegedly been undermined.

“It is noted with great concern that the Mayor and Speaker are hugely responsible for stalling and delaying the implementation of the approved mandatory intervention by the Executive Council.”

The letter details several issues contributing to this collapse, highlighting governance and institutional problems, including the municipality’s non-implementation of directives issued by the PER.

Concerns were also raised about specific staff appointments, with a preliminary investigation suggesting that many managers appointed do “not possess the necessary relevant experience and qualifications.”

Furthermore, it said that the municipality continues to implement Council decisions with “huge financial implications” and is taking actions that are “contrary to the implementation of the FRP.”

The Provincial Treasury stressed that these findings have a “huge and negative direct impact on the implementation of the FRP, dire financial results for the municipality, and continue to undermine efforts by the Provincial government”. 

The municipality, located within the Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality (NMMDM), comprises the towns of Delareyville, Sannieshof, Ottosdal, and dozens of villages. It has around 130,000 residents.

Among others, it is a vital hub of South African agriculture, producing sorghum, groundnuts, maise, and sunflowers as primary crops. Cattle and sheep farming are also widespread.

According to its website, its vision was “to be a leading municipality in the North West Province in sustainable service delivery by 2020.”

However, for years, it has encountered significant challenges that have made life increasingly unbearable for residents and business operations.

From consistent sewage leakages, dry taps and power outages, to political turmoil and financial instability, the challenges seem insurmountable.

Provincial intervention

In September 2021, the North West Provincial Executive Council dissolved the TLM council under Section 139(1)(c) of the Constitution, citing a collapse in service delivery, governance instability, and financial distress.

This was the sixth time that the municipality has been placed under mandatory intervention, with the intervention ongoing to date.

Lenah Miga, former COGTA North West MEC, explained the decision to a 2021 NCOP meeting, noting that Tswaing faced a total collapse of services, including sewage flowing into homes and businesses, and little to no cooperation with the province.

She said that political infighting had resulted in two mayors, speakers, and managers leading to the municipal bank account’s closure, which has since been resolved.

Miga added that Tswaing repeatedly received qualified audits, could not meet financial obligations, struggled with revenue collection, and carried hundreds of millions in debt.

Several years into the intervention, recovery has been far from smooth sailing, as noted in the former MEC’s letter.

TLM received a fifth consecutive disclaimer audit from the Auditor General (AG) for the 2022/23 financial year.

The AG attributed its decision to “instability and/or vacancies,” “key officials lacking appropriate competencies,” and “inadequate consequences.”

These violate both the FRP and PER directives that were given when placed under administration.

The audit raised “significant doubt” about the municipality’s ability to continue functioning, with uncertainty hanging over its operations for more than five years.

According to the AG, TLM takes an average of 749 days to pay creditors, far exceeding the 30-day limit, while 82% of its outstanding debt is deemed irrecoverable.

The revenue collection rate dropped from 63% in 2022/23 to 42% in 2023/24, severely impacting service delivery.

It also takes an average of 256 days to collect debts owed and had accumulated R1.6 billion in fruitless and wasteful expenditure as of 30 June 2024.

By December 2024, it owed Eskom R201.4 million. In January 2025, it was ranked among the top ten municipalities in arrears on pension contributions.

These ongoing troubles are discussed in the letter, with other concerns raised, such as those of staff appointments.

The former MEC wrote that a preliminary investigation suggested that many managers appointed do “not possess the necessary relevant experience and qualifications.”

Furthermore, it said that the municipality continues to implement Council decisions with “huge financial implications” and is taking actions that are “contrary to the implementation of the FRP.”

The municipality was instructed to “respect the FRP and ensure its full implementation,” and the Mayor was expected to provide a comprehensive response.

Woes galore

Despite provincial intervention, TLM’s struggles have not significantly eased, severely harming residents and businesses.

“The TLM follows the same trajectory as Ditsobotla,” said resident and former MP Carin Visser. “Citizens… have no water for days running into weeks since around 2007, while sewage runs along streets and back into people’s homes.”

According to the 2023 Green Drop Watch Report, 12 out of 13 Wastewater Treatment Works (WWTWs) in NMMDM, which provides bulk water and sanitation services as the district, are at “critical risk.”

NMMDM scored 36.74% (“very poor performance”) in the 2023 Blue Drop (water quality) report and the No Drop Report (water loss) rated NMMDM 0% for not submitting information.

Recently, the South African Human Rights Commission found that NMMDM and TLM violated residents’ constitutional rights to water, sanitation, and a safe environment.

The Commission ordered improvements to sewer and waste systems, prevention of sewage spills, infrastructure protection, and reliable services.

AfriForum had previously obtained a court order that compelled NMMDM to ensure effective basic service delivery, but some say that the municipality continued to undermine the judgment.

“How is it possible to live… where basic essential services and constitutional obligations have been disregarded?” said Visser.

Recently, Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation Sello Seitlholo noted: “These are cries… not attended to… The situation here is quite man-made… it really requires a political role as well as technical ability for capability.”

In January 2025, Deputy Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Dr Namane Dickson Masemola, led an oversight visit to NMMDM.

Key challenges raised included:

• Weak community engagement on service delivery.
• Corruption undermining governance and service delivery.
• Poor leadership and lack of strategic direction.
• Skills shortages.
• Supply chain management woes.
• Aging infrastructure prioritisation issues.
• Incomplete projects due to weak oversight.
• Poor financial management, including passing unfunded budgets.

Masemola made a commitment for an ongoing engagement to ensure that they deliver on their constitutional mandate

Government response

North West MEC for Finance, Kenetswe Mosenogi, has stressed the urgent implementation of FRPs, including in Tswaing, to restore dignity to residents.

Speaking to PERs, she said that “the restoration of the dignity of the North West Province depends on your commitment to assisting municipalities to implement the FRPs.”

Mosenogi outlined the FRP phases as the provincial areas of focus during her administration: Rescue (short-term cash flow), Stabilisation (governance and controls), and Sustainability (long-term viability).

She took a strong stance on Eskom debt relief, warning against non-compliance and supporting measures like service disconnections to enforce accountability.

“The disconnection of services may be a necessary step to meet the programme’s requirements,” she noted, adding that partial debt write-offs could improve municipal revenue collection.

Financial recovery, she said, is key to enabling municipalities to deliver services, maintain infrastructure, and foster economic growth.

Meanwhile, NMMDM recently reported “progress” in addressing sewer spills and ageing infrastructure, while the mayor pledged ethical leadership, fiscal discipline, and revenue enhancements through tariffs and developer charges.

The former provincial finance MEC who wrote the letter, and now ANC Chief Whip in North West Provincial Legislature recently commended the MECs for COGTA, Oageng Molapisi and Finance, Mosenogi.

Rosho said that this was for ensuring that settlement agreements to reduce debts were in place and adhered to” by the following financially stressed municipalities in the province:

Ditsobotla, Kgetlengrivier, Ratlou, Tswaing, Naledi, Mamusa, Lekwa Teemane, Kagisano Molopo, Maquassi Hills, Ngaka Modiri Molema and Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District.

“Intensified hands-on support by COGTA and Provincial Treasury will ensure that governance and service delivery are not compromised and that municipalities deliver without fail.”

BusinessTech was in contact with the Provincial Treasury, but communication went cold. We also could not get direct responses from the municipalities before publication.