NORTH WEST PROVINCE — Democratic Alliance (DA) Parliamentary Leader George Michalakis has formally laid criminal charges against the municipal managers of the Ditsobotla and Ngaka Modiri Molema municipalities in the North West Province. This decisive action underscores the opposition party’s ongoing campaign to hold local government officials accountable for persistent financial mismanagement and service delivery failures.
Speaking on the ground before heading to the local police station to finalize the criminal complaints, Michalakis detailed the severe allegations surrounding both local authorities. According to the DA, the Auditor General has repeatedly flagged both municipalities for incurring years of fruitless, wasteful, and irregular expenditure.
The allegations are highly specific to each municipality’s failures. In the case of Ditsobotla, Michalakis highlighted that substantial funds allocated through a conditional grant specifically designated for housing provision were never properly followed through, depriving the community of critical infrastructure. Meanwhile, in Ngaka Modiri Molema, the municipal manager is accused of personally owing the community money related to water tank contracts that were allegedly awarded irregularly.
This legal action is part of a broader, coordinated series of accountability measures by the DA. Michalakis noted that similar criminal charges have already been laid in Kannaland Local Municipality and the Eastern Cape, with operations in the Free State slated to follow immediately after the North West interventions.
Framing the interventions within the broader political landscape, Michalakis asserted that the African National Congress (ANC) is currently at its weakest point in history. He positioned the DA’s legal and political efforts as the first critical steps toward cleaning up local governance on behalf of residents who pay the price when municipalities fail.
“We are fighting on your behalf, and we need you to support us on the 4th of November to ensure that we work together to get the ANC out and get competent people in these positions,” Michalakis stated, directly linking the anti-corruption drive to the upcoming electoral date.
The DA has reaffirmed its commitment to continuing these accountability measures until South Africa’s towns and cities are functioning effectively for all residents.