Govan Mbeki Local Municipality

Last updated
Govan Mbeki
Govan Mbeki CoA.png
Map of Mpumalanga with Govan Mbeki highlighted.svg
Location in Mpumalanga
Country South Africa
Province Mpumalanga
District Gert Sibande
Seat Secunda
Wards 32
Government
[1]
  Type Municipal council
  Executive MayorNB Zuma [2]
Area
  Total
2,955 km2 (1,141 sq mi)
Population
 (2011) [3]
  Total
294,538
  Density100/km2 (260/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)
[3]
   Black African 80.5%
   Coloured 1.5%
   Indian/Asian 1.5%
   White 16.0%
First languages (2011)
[3]
   Zulu 47.4%
   Afrikaans 15.9%
   Southern Ndebele 7.7%
   Sotho 6.0%
  Other23%
Time zone UTC+2 (SAST)
Municipal codeMP307

Govan Mbeki Municipality (Zulu : UMasipala iGovan Mbeki; Afrikaans : Govan Mbeki Munisipaliteit), formerly the Highveld East Local Municipality, is a local municipality within the Gert Sibande District Municipality, in the Mpumalanga province of South Africa. Secunda is the seat of the municipality. It was named after Govan Mbeki, ANC activist.

Contents

Main places

The 2001 census divided the municipality into the following main places: [4]

PlaceCodeArea (km2)PopulationMost spoken language
Bethal 80701 101.508,512 Afrikaans
Brendan Village 80702 0.66277Afrikaans
Charl Cilliers 80703 1.58210 Zulu
Eendrag 80704 1.85293Afrikaans
Embalenhle 80705 13.6391,751Zulu
eMzinoni 80706 5.1931,012Zulu
Evander 80707 40.158,212Afrikaans
Highveld Ridge Mines 80709 71.84325Zulu
Kinross 80710 3.994,906 English
Leandra 80711 1.599Zulu
Lebogang 80712 3.8819,396Zulu
Leslie 80713 2.08761Afrikaans
Leslie Gold Mines 80714 0.190-
Mandela Section 80715 0.231,083 Xhosa
Milan Park 80716 1.744,760Zulu
Secunda 80717 150.7126,125Afrikaans
Sorento Park 80718 0.9512Afrikaans/Zulu
Trichardt 80719 1.531,973Afrikaans
Remainder of the municipality 80708 2,555.6822,132Zulu

Politics

The municipal council consists of sixty-three members elected by mixed-member proportional representation. Thirty-two councillors are elected by first-past-the-post voting in thirty-two wards, while the remaining thirty-one are chosen from party lists so that the total number of party representatives is proportional to the number of votes received. In the election of 1 November 2021 the African National Congress (ANC) lost its majority, but remained the largest party, winning twenty-six seats. The following table shows the results of the election. [5]

PartyWardListTotal
seats
Votes%SeatsVotes%Seats
African National Congress 22,28740.312423,65241.83226
Democratic Alliance 14,70726.60715,00726.541017
Economic Freedom Fighters 10,83619.60011,39720.151313
Freedom Front Plus 2,5384.5902,5364.4833
Azania Resident Party 1,1542.0911,1742.0812
African Transformation Movement 7481.3507151.2611
Independent candidates 1,4502.6200
Inkatha Freedom Party 4330.7807061.2511
7 other parties1,1352.0501,3602.4100
Total55,288100.003256,547100.003163
Valid votes55,28898.2156,54798.37
Invalid/blank votes1,0101.799361.63
Total votes56,298100.0057,483100.00
Registered voters/turnout141,05839.91141,05840.75

Corruption

After allegations of endemic corruption a forensic investigation was launched by the Department of Cooperative Governance (DCoG). The Section 106 forensic investigation report released in 2020 revealed extensive political interference in its administration. [6] The report revealed non-implementation of council resolutions, abuse of municipal property and assets, advertisement of tenders without following legislation and awarding of bursaries without following procedures. Senior positions were occupied by politically affiliated persons who lacked the minimum required qualifications or even a matric certificate. In addition several companies that got preferential treatment had senior politicians on their payroll. The senior politician and executive mayor, Ms Thandi Ngxonono, was implicated in the report and took special leave. [6]

In September 2024 the Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, said that his office would investigate funds that went missing in 2017 that had been meant to renovate a theatre in Secunda. [7]

References

  1. "Contact list: Executive Mayors". Government Communication & Information System. Archived from the original on 14 July 2010. Retrieved 22 February 2012.
  2. "Mayoral Committee". Govan Mbeki Municipality. Retrieved 27 March 2024.
  3. 1 2 3 "Statistics by place". Statistics South Africa. Retrieved 27 September 2015.
  4. Lookup Tables - Statistics South Africa [ permanent dead link ]
  5. "Election Result Table for LGE2021 — Govan Mbeki". wikitable.frith.dev. Retrieved 2022-11-24.
  6. 1 2 Mathebula, Sifiso (30 October 2020). "Locals want Hawks to make arrests". ridgetimes.co.za. Ridge Times Hoëvelder / Highvelder. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
  7. "McKenzie's office to investigate 'missing' R3 million meant for dilapidated theatre's refurbishment".

26°33′S29°10′E / 26.550°S 29.167°E / -26.550; 29.167