SATISFIED with progress at Mtubatuba Municipality since its dissolution last month, COGTA (Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs) MEC Nomusa Dube-Ncube has assured residents that by-elections to elect a new council will go ahead in May as scheduled.
‘We are generally satisfied with progress made by our designated team at Mtubatuba.
‘We hope to hand over this municipality to a newly elected council in a much better shape administratively and financially than we found it when we took the decision to dissolve the previous council and relieve its councillors of their duties,’ said Dube-Ncube.
Noting COGTA’s temporary role in the running of Mtubatuba, Dube-Ncube said the department is working hard to restore order.
‘We are paving the way for a new democratically elected council which will take over from us within the three-month time limit since the dissolution as per the relevant local government legislation,’ said MEC Dube-Ncube.
According to a lawyer specialising in local government affairs, the 38 councillors who were relieved of their duties in February will be eligible to stand for re-election in May.
The provincial department will liaise with the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) to encourage voter registration and to ensure free and fair by-election.
