Having investigated similar complaints in the past, the Commission formed the view that the complaints pointed to the incapacity of Lekwa to deliver basic services to its residents. Further, the Commission formed the view that given the extent of the collapse of service delivery within Lekwa, there was no hope of recovery, unless there was an intervening factor. As a result, the Commission engaged the Provincial Department to solicit their intervention at Lekwa in terms of section 139 of the Constitution. Despite undertakings from the Provincial Department to intervene in Lekwa, the progress made towards this end was very slow and in no way matched the urgency of the situation that residents found themselves in.
It is for this reason that the Commission welcomes the intervention of the National Government at Lekwa in terms of section 139(7) of the Constitution. The Commission will be engaging with the National Government, with the view to obtaining a time-bound plan for addressing the service delivery challenges within that municipality.

END
For further information or enquiries, please contact: SAHRC Mpumalanga Provincial Manager, Mr. E Mokonyama (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; 073 585 5944).