Sanco draws a line ahead of elections

As the country edges closer to the upcoming local government elections, the South African National Civic Organisation (SANCO) in the North West has fired a warning shot, both at struggling municipalities and at its alliance partner, the ANC.

Recently, Sanco chairperson Tshepo Khoza told the media governance had totally collapsed across the province.

According to Khoza, every municipality in the province has buckled under the weight of poor leadership, weak oversight, and a failure to implement the Auditor-General’s findings.

“All municipalities in the province have collapsed. These municipalities collapsed due to a lack of accountability from both politicians and officials of the municipality who are bestowed with the responsibility of making sure that they account to our communities.”

He accused politicians of abandoning their oversight roles and allowing dysfunction to fester.

“Politicians are no longer playing their political oversight. Non-implementation of Auditor-General findings is leading to a lack of and poor performance of our municipalities in this province. We are having a problem with municipalities that cannot sit and make decisions on behalf of the communities,” he said.

Khoza said Sanco wants decisive action from the ANC-led government.

“Corruption in this province is being treated, and no one wants to account for the corruption that is taking place. Sanco is calling upon the ANC-led government to deal with corruption, both the politicians and the administrators. They must vacate public offices when they are found guilty of corruption. We are saying to the ANC, as Sanco, that they remove everybody who is corrupt.”

He warned that corruption is not a minor issue.

“It can’t be correct that we are having corruption and this matter is being treated as if it’s a small matter, and it is compromising the bigger picture of bringing proper services to our communities.”

But as elections approach, Sanco’s tone shifted from criticism to political positioning.

“Sanco this time around we are not going to work elections with a blank cheque. Sanco is going to work these elections tirelessly to make sure that the ANC continues to control all the municipalities in our province.”

However that support comes with conditions.

“This time around, we are not going to accept anything less than ten mayors and ten speakers, ten chief whips, and in all municipalities, we want four Members of the Mayoral Committee.”

He insisted the organisation would put forward credible leaders.

“We will bring people who are credible to come and lead this society and understand development. We will bring people who are within the ranks of our communities. We will not bring criminals and thugs who are continuing to finish the ANC,” he said.

At the provincial level, the organisation  demanded representation in the legislature, and not just a symbolic presence.

“On the issue of the legislature, Sanco demands its position at the provincial legislature, and very soon Sanco will send a name to the ANC, and that name, when it goes to the legislature, it must go straight to the executive. A person that Sanco will send, we want that person to be the MEC, and whatever department Sanco will get, Sanco will perform in that department,” Khoza explained.