MATJHABENG – The Democratic Alliance (DA) has written to the Speaker and Municipal Manager of Matjhabeng Local Municipality requesting written reasons for decisions taken during the municipality’s Integrated Development Plan (IDP) approval process.

The party has also asked for all objections to be recorded in official minutes and for corrective action where procedural irregularities are identified.

Councillor René Steyn said councillors raised concerns at the recent Ordinary Council Meeting regarding public participation, stakeholder engagement, the sequencing of the IDP and Budget processes, and compliance with legislation and municipal procedures.

The IDP failed to obtain the required Council approval. The meeting was adjourned before completing all agenda items.

Councillors were then notified of both a Continuation Meeting and a Special Council Meeting scheduled for 3 June 2026. The same IDP was placed before the Special Council for reconsideration.

Steyn said she sent correspondence to the Speaker raising concerns about the legality and procedural propriety of this process and requested clarity on the authority to proceed. She said no response was received.

The Continuation Meeting was subsequently withdrawn, and the Special Council proceeded to consider the IDP.

The DA has raised several questions about the process, including why the continuation process was abandoned, under what authority the IDP was removed from the unfinished business of the Ordinary Council agenda and placed before a Special Council, why councillors were asked to vote again on substantially the same document, what changes were made to address concerns, and what stakeholder engagement took place.

Steyn said councillors were presented with a document that remained materially the same as the document previously considered, with no report explaining substantive amendments, no evidence that concerns had been addressed, and no meaningful engagement with stakeholders.

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