eThekweni Municipality is still at risk of being placed under administration despite a concerted effort by both the national and the provincial governments to deal with the challenges faced by the metro.

“The Mercury” has reliably learnt that the MEC for Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) in KwaZulu-Natal, Thulasizwe Buthelezi, had warned of this during a private meeting on Tuesday.

The MEC, together with Cogta Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa, were briefed by two task teams deployed to the metro on the work being done to address administrative and service delivery challenges.

The MEC and the minister were briefed by the Presidential Working Group (PWG) that is composed of governance and business experts led by ANC leader Mike Mabuyakhulu.

The other task team is the Section 154 team led by former city manager Mike Sutcliffe. The future of this team is in the balance after the National Treasury warned that its work was a duplication of the work being done by the PWG.

Shortly after the meeting on Tuesday, Hlabisa told the media that the reports indicated that work was under way and there was light at the end of the tunnel. He hoped there would be tangible improvements in the performance of the municipality in less than a year.

However, “The Mercury” has been informed that behind the scenes the meeting was tense and others present suggested that it became abrasive. A councillor who was part of the meeting said there had been tense disagreements. The councillor said Buthelezi told the meeting that he was worried about the state of the City.

“The MEC said originally there was a call for Section 139 but it was then decided that Section 154 was needed, which means that there is guidance and not an intervention. He (Buthelezi) also warned that should (things) not improve and based on the documentation that was on his desk, he was still of the opinion that Section 139 could be invoked,” said the councillor.

Another councillor, who was also part of the meeting, said it was unfortunate that the remark on Section 139 was made by the MEC.

“He said they have found issues of maladministration and corruption and he would not hesitate to invoke Section 139.

The remarks were unfortunate in a formal meeting like that because while we know the challenges in the City, we cannot be subjected to speaking on a report that we have not seen,” said the councillor.

The councillors confirmed that there were tense moments in the meeting and a heated debate regarding the work of the two task teams that have one objective.

But sources in the council expressed scepticism that the municipality could be put under administration.

One said: “The IFP is expecting to be allocated one part of the split committee on human settlement and infrastructure services. It will not serve the IFP to put the municipality under administration.”

Asked about the warning issued by the MEC, his spokesperson Senzo Mzila denied that the meeting nearly got out of hand. “The meeting yesterday (Tuesday), attended by the Minister for Cogta, MEC for Cogta and the mayor of eThekwini, was very cordial and productive.

“It allowed the minister to get a report on the work of the Presidential Working Group and the Section 154 support provided by Cogta. It was agreed that all support is required and that going forward, the Presidential eThekwini Working Group will be the overarching co-ordinating structure for all support mechanisms.”

The Mercury