KwaZulu-Natal Finance MEC Francois Rodgers met with eNdumeni Mayor Mcebo Mkhize on Monday to discuss the council's repeated failure to pass its 2026/27 budget.
Supplied/KZN Finance Treasury
KZN Finance MEC Francois Rodgers has given the IFP-led eNdumeni Municipality until 31 July to pass its 2026/27 budget.Failure to do so will result in the council being dissolved under Section 139(4) of the Constitution,and an administrator will be appointed until the November local government elections.Mayor Mcebo Mkhize has committed to passing the budget before the deadline and dismissed corruption allegations as politically motivated.KwaZulu-Natal Finance MEC Francois Rodgers has given the troubled eNdumeni Local Municipality,near Dundee in northern KwaZulu-Natal,until 31 July 2026 to pass its 2026/27 budget,or face dissolution.
The IFP-led municipality has missed several opportunities to approve a legally compliant budget,owing to deep political divisions within its 13-member council.
The IFP and the ANC each hold five seats,the DA has two,and the Abantu Batho Congress (ABC) has one.
If the budget is not passed by the deadline,the provincial government will invoke Section 139(4) of the Constitution,dissolving the council and placing the municipality under administration.
ADVERTISEMENT
The Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) MEC Reverend Thulasizwe Buthelezi would then appoint an administrator to run the municipality until the local government elections in November.
READ | IFP picks first-time councillor,26,as mayor for troubled Endumeni municipality
Rodgers intervened on Friday,requesting a meeting with Mayor Mcebo Mkhize to establish the reasons for the continued failure to adopt a budget,a breach of the Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA).
“Should the municipality fail to adopt a budget by this date,the GPU [government of provincial unity] will invoke the provisions of Section 139(4) of the Constitution,in accordance with applicable legislation,” he said on Friday.
ADVERTISEMENT
He added:
This will result in the municipality being placed under administration,an outcome the provincial government would ordinarily prefer to avoid.
“KZN Treasury remains committed to working constructively with the municipality to secure a sustainable financial future and protect service delivery for the residents of eNdumeni.”
On Monday,Rodgers met with Mkhize and senior councillors,along with representatives from the provincial Cogta department,to discuss solutions to the political and administrative challenges blocking the budget.
According to the MEC’s office,discussions were cordial and constructive.
“The MEC reminded municipal leadership that the GPU has resolved that the municipality must adopt a credible and funded budget by 31 July 2026,failing which the eNdumeni council will be dissolved and an administrator will be appointed,” a statement from the MEC’s office read.
“He emphasised,however,that such an outcome is not the GPU’s preferred option and that every effort should be made to resolve outstanding matters through cooperation and responsible leadership. Rodgers further encouraged all councillors to remain guided by ... putting principles before politics and to work together in the interests of the community.”
READ | Sleeping duty: eNdumeni mayor alleges graft between IFP,DA as bomb scare halts sitting to replace him
Speaking to News24 on Wednesday,Mkhize said he had given Rodgers a commitment that the budget would be passed before the 31 July deadline. He said several issues had been raised by councillors blocking its passage.
“The budget is passed through a council resolution,and the majority of councillors must agree. So [in this case] they didn’t agree.”
Among the issues cited were the historical problem of unfunded budgets and an Eskom debt of roughly R400 million,which the current council inherited in 2021.
Mkhize questioned why these long-standing concerns were being raised only now.
ADVERTISEMENT
“You could tell that these are political issues… One can argue that: Why now? For the past four years,since you came in 2020,you have been adopting the unfunded budget,which is also a historical issue. It’s politics,by the way,as you know we are heading to the local government elections.”
He confirmed that the municipality had sought the MEC’s intervention and said he was working closely with the DA and ABC to ensure the budget was passed.
Mkhize added:
We are working very closely with the DA and the ABC,who are willing to make sure that the budget is passed. I am confident that we will pass the budget before the 31st – it’s a must. We cannot afford to be dissolved.
IOL reported that the IFP’s problem was that it had been dumped by its historical partner,the DA,which had constantly voted with the ANC to block the six previous attempts to pass the budget.
The report states that the ANC,with the support of the DA,insisted that they would never allow the budget to be passed before a disaster management corruption report is tabled.
The report apparently implicates the mayor,who allegedly pocketed R800 000; however,council is refusing to table it.
The ANC is also said to be demanding that a motion against the mayor be tabled before the budget is passed.
This allegation was put to Mkhize,who responded: “How can the mayor be implicated in administrative issues?
“To cut a long story short,we told them to bring the item to the council and let due processes take place. If there are allegations,there must be an investigation.”
Mkhize said he told Rodgers that he welcomed the intervention and would adhere to the timelines.
“Remember,mine is to table the budget. If they vote against it,mine is to just do my job.”
United News - unews.co.za