By Buchule Putini
Eastern Cape– Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality (BCMM) has officially welcomed the intervention of the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) to help tackle ongoing challenges within the Metro. This move comes after months of mounting concerns over governance, financial instability, and service delivery backlogs affecting residents.
In terms of Section 154 of the Constitution, both national and provincial arms of CoGTA will provide hands-on support to strengthen BCMM’s governance structures, financial management, and operational systems. The intervention aims to restore the Metro’s ability to serve its people effectively and transparently.
Executive Mayor Princess Faku described the assistance as “a necessary and constructive step” toward restoring the Metro’s credibility and operational capacity.
“We are grateful for the support and guidance from the Department of CoGTA. This marks the beginning of a turnaround for Buffalo City,” she said.
Deputy Minister of CoGTA, Dr. Dickson Masemola, stressed that the intervention is not about taking over the municipality but about working together to rebuild capacity and address urgent service delivery gaps. “Buffalo City has the potential to thrive. Our role is to unlock that potential through strategic collaboration,” he added.
Among the measures planned are technical support, the deployment of experts in governance and infrastructure, and improved monitoring systems to track progress. Eastern Cape MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Zolile Williams, emphasized the importance of swift, decisive action to restore public confidence.
“It cannot be business as usual. We expect full cooperation from all officials and political leadership. The time for corrective action is now,” said MEC Williams, underlining the need to align BCMM’s Integrated Development Plan and budgeting with the intervention framework.
Political parties represented in council have also pledged their full support, promising to cooperate with the support team to ensure a successful turnaround that benefits all residents.
The City Manager and senior management have already begun engaging with the support team to avoid any delays.
Regular updates will be provided to council and relevant government departments to ensure transparency and accountability throughout the process.
Metro stakeholders will also be consulted as needed to build an inclusive approach toward restoring the Metro’s functionality.
Buffalo City residents will be watching closely, hopeful that this partnership signals a new chapter of effective governance and improved service delivery.
