17th August 2020
Monday
To the
The President of South Africa Mr Cyril Ramaphoza
The Minister COGTA Miss ND Zuma
The MEC COGTA Mr. Mandla Msibi
The ANC Regional Secretary Mr. Phazamisa Mathe
The Executive Mayor CCLR MF Nkadimeng
The Municipal Manager Mr. SS Matsi
The Speaker Mr. J Kok
The Unit Manager Mr. J Motankisi
The Ward Councillor Mr. Sandile Shongwe
We call on the Mpumalanga Provincial Executive to Dissolve the Thaba
Chweu Local Municipality Council and appoint an administrator until the
election of a new council in terms of section 139(1)(c) of the South African
Constitution.
That the Thaba Chweu Municipality Council has failed to meet its Executive
Obligations.
1. That the Municipality is unable or unwilling to;
1.1exercise the municipality’s executive and legislative authority and use
the resources of the municipality in the best interest of the community
1.2provide without favour or prejudice democratic and accountable
government;
1.3ensure that municipal services are provided to the community in a
financially and environmentally sustainable manner
1.4consult the community about the level, quality, range and impact of
municipality services and the available options for service delivery.

1.5give members of the community equitable access to the municipal
services to which they are entitled
1.6promote a safe and healthy environment in the municipality
1.7Adopt and include a fully inclusive Community Integrated
Development Plan through weekly planning meetings with the
community committees, per local Government Municipal Systems act
NO32 of 2000 Chapter 4 & 5
The municipality conduct has been inconsistent with the 1996 constitution of
the republic of south Africa breaching section 152 (1) and section 153 (a) by
failing to promote a healthy and sustainable environment for the community
The Thaba Chweu Local municipality council had never listened to the outcry
of the community on the electricity tariffs, amp charges, business electricity
levy, sewer spillages and leaks in and around our different wards within the
municipality let alone the water cuts, and the electricity outages within the
community, the illegal water connections and electrical connections the call
into the investigation of fraud, corruption and maladministration within the
municipality and the traffic department of Thaba Chweu Local Municipality.
All the streets in our areas are filled with potholes placing the safety of
motorists at risk. Walkways in town (pavements) are also a safety hazard for
pedestrians.
2.1 the escalation of the Thaba Chweu Local Municipality debt to Eskom
which stands now at R760 Million
2.2 The implementation of the R184.23 electricity levy for each home
The new amp charge per business
The increase in business levy for electricity
The different tariffs being implemented to the community members for
electricity
All this was forcefully imposed on the community without prior notice or
consultation with the community.

Our resolve to the following is needed and we the Graskop Community now 

insist on the following being truthfully answered and results be reported
back to the community within 14 days of receipt of this memorandum,
A) Funding was allocated to TCLM of an undisclosed amount of well over
R5.5 Million in aid during the COVID19 pandemic. This was meant for
distribution to NGO’s to feed people, provide aid, Secure PPE, where has
this funding gone? Who has been allocated these funds?
B) Why are food parcels still locked in municipal offices when people have
lost their jobs and cannot put food on the table?
C) What is the relationship between food parcels and our Ward Councillor?
D) Why is the ward councillor responsible for distributing these food parcels,
if he has, where is the list of people he has distributed the food parcels
to?
E) What explanation can be given to the community as to the large amount
of traffic officials employed by municipality, and where does this funding
come from? We would also like to bring to your attention the corruption
at the Provincial licensing office and that Graskop’s license office is
riddled with corrupt officials and driving schools not from Graskop that
are inundating these offices and total neglect to Graskop residents. Why
has Graskop business youth and owners not allowed to operate in their
own town and why are these corrupt officials and driving schools allowed
a free reign in our town? This is being done on Municipal Property.
F) Why do municipality officials receive bonuses during COVID19 lockdown
when clearly their bonuses should be cancelled and those monies used
toward other urgent matters pertaining to municipality functions on a
day to day basis?
G) In a statement made by Mr. Phazamisa Mathe during a meeting on the
5th August 2020 he clearly stated that in 2017 the councils and TCLM
clearly neglected their duties to inform public and communities at that
time that an opportunity was given to the Municipality to hand over to
Eskom the supply of electricity to the TCLM districts as done in
neighbouring towns such as Bushbuckridge, Acornhoek and Moremela
areas. The municipality decided that it was best for them to retain the
supply. The communities and public were never informed. We require
supply direct from Eskom to avoid further debt increases and TCLM to be cut/shut off by Eskom. (A community recommendation is that to cancel
all new tariff increases, levy charges, and amp charges and to
immediately hand over supply to ESKOM.)
H)The business levy imposed by municipality for the past few years on local
business was meant to assist with the debt payment to Eskom, can we
the community have reasonable and truthful audits on where these funds
went to and how much funds were generated by these levies imposed on
business?
I) An issue of salaries and overtime and irregular working hours has been
a plague in itself to this TCLM Municipality, why then has top
management not immediately rectified this problem and route all the
illegal expenditure?
J) Pertaining to municipal officials that do not pay for electricity and abuse
the system they are elected in charge of, what has management done to
correct this and if so why has it been allowed, or has management clearly
no knowledge of these on goings?
K) The municipality has made an arrangement to cover the debt repayment
to the Chinese Company China Sinogy Electric Engineering co (CSEEC)
for the Power Station Built. How did this debt come about when the
original plans were devised as such that when the power station was built
and upon completion the station would take over all electricity accounts
and those funds were going to pay off the cost of the building of the power
station? Why must the communities now assist in raised tariffs to pay
that amount which is now in the region of R410 million. Added to the debt
to Eskom the Municipality now owes in the region of R1.16 billion. How
will this be paid off?
(community recommendation is to seize all the assets of the then
responsible officials to assist in the debt)
L) The Chinese housing project has been a disaster from the beginning, also
riddled with corruption and many Graskop residents left out of getting a
house.
1. House owners do not have title deeds to property
2. Councillor & Municipal staff have been allocated a homes
3. Several persons not residents of Graskop (out of ward) have been
allocated houses
4. People were sold houses and many have lost monies
This needs to be looked at and to add resolve to these issues.

M)The commercial owners Rates & Taxes together with the valuation
increases are now at a staggering 206% increase in some cases.
It is respectfully requested that a re-evaluation has to take place
immediately.
The following rights implicated by our complaint.
1 The right to a safe and clean environment (section 24)
2 The Right of access to sufficient water (section 27 (1) (b) and
3 The right to freedom and security of the people (Section 12)
Summary
Given the current state of the Municipality we now demand the dissolving of
the TCLM immediately.
The immediate introduction of Eskom to supply direct power and payments be
made directly to Eskom.
Separate Graskop, Sabie and Lydenburg with each running their own
municipality as previously done.
Please let us have your response to the above at your earliest convenience and
in any event not later than 31st August 2020.
Graskop Community Committee Chairperson
MR. M PILLAY
0769469280