In yet another move to address systemic challenges plaguing local governance, North West MEC for Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs, Gaoage Oageng Molapisi, has positioned the Municipal MEC (MuniMEC) session as a cornerstone for fostering cooperative governance, intergovernmental collaboration, and the institutionalization of the District Development Model (DDM).
The MuniMEC meeting, held recently in Mahikeng, brought together executive mayors, senior municipal managers, oversight institutions, strategic partners, and traditional authorities under the theme “Every Municipality Must Work.”
Delivering the keynote address, MEC Molapisi emphasized that the session was more than a bureaucratic gathering—it was a clarion call for accountability, urgency, and integrity in serving the province’s communities. “MuniMEC is a collective recommitment to address non-compliance, infrastructure backlogs, fiscal instability, and the rollout of critical human settlement and sanitation programs,” he declared.
The meeting comes at a critical juncture for the province, where municipalities have faced persistent criticism for poor service delivery, mismanagement of funds, and failure to comply with regulatory frameworks. Among the key issues tabled were non-compliance with legislation governing the recruitment of senior municipal managers, underwhelming expenditure of Municipal Infrastructure Grants (MIG), and the need for credible municipal budgets to manage spiraling debt.
MEC Molapisi did not mince words when addressing the underperformance of some municipalities in utilizing infrastructure grants. “We have municipalities that do not spend their grant funding, yet our communities are still without clean water, decent homes, and access roads,” he said. “This is not just unfortunate—it is intolerable. It is a betrayal of our people’s constitutional rights.”
The session resolved that municipalities failing to meet MIG expenditure targets must develop recovery plans to ensure funds are directed toward critical infrastructure projects. The MEC’s remarks underscored a broader frustration with fiscal mismanagement, with some municipalities sitting on unspent grants while residents endure substandard living conditions.
The recruitment of senior municipal managers also emerged as a flashpoint. Molapisi described non-compliant appointments as “a travesty of justice,” arguing that they undermine professionalism and fuel governance instability. “Municipalities must align with all prescribed regulations, or risk continued dysfunction and costly litigation,” he warned, signaling a crackdown on irregular hiring practices that have long plagued local government.
The MuniMEC platform is designed to foster collaboration across South Africa’s three spheres of government—national, provincial, and local—while integrating traditional authorities and strategic partners. By aligning policies and priorities, the initiative aims to streamline service delivery and address systemic inefficiencies. The DDM, a flagship policy of the South African government, was highlighted as a key framework for coordinating development efforts at the district level, ensuring that resources are allocated effectively to meet community needs.
Participants in the meeting included a cross-section of stakeholders, from executive mayors to senior managers, reflecting the province’s commitment to inclusive governance. Discussions focused on practical steps to improve financial accountability, enhance infrastructure delivery, and ensure that municipalities operate within the bounds of regulatory frameworks.
Molapisi’s address struck a chord with attendees, many of whom acknowledged the urgency of the challenges facing the province. The North West has grappled with service delivery protests in recent years, fueled by frustrations over water shortages, inadequate housing, and crumbling infrastructure. By convening MuniMEC, the provincial government hopes to restore public confidence and demonstrate tangible progress.
The MEC’s insistence on accountability resonated particularly strongly in light of recent audits that flagged financial irregularities in several municipalities. With credible budgets and debt management strategies now a priority, MuniMEC aims to provide a roadmap for fiscal stability and sustainable development.
As the North West embarks on this ambitious effort to reimagine local government, the success of MuniMEC will depend on its ability to translate resolutions into action. For residents of the province, the stakes could not be higher. Access to clean water, decent housing, and reliable infrastructure remains a daily struggle for many, and the pressure is on municipal leaders to deliver.
MEC Molapisi concluded the session with a message of resolve: “This is about serving our people with the dignity and efficiency they deserve. MuniMEC is our commitment to making every municipality work—not just for some, but for all.”
As the province moves forward, the international community will be watching to see whether this new platform can deliver on its promise of transformative governance in one of South Africa’s most challenged regions.