Tswaing mayor and council ordered to explain irregular appointments

Investigation finds three official appointments cost North West municipality millions of rands through maladministration.

North West MEC for Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs Gaoage Molapisi has ordered Tswaing Mayor Norah Mahlangu and the municipal council to respond to findings of maladministration over the appointment of three officials.¹²

Letters have been delivered to the mayor and councillors at Tswaing Local Municipality demanding they explain why they did not exercise proper oversight over the appointments.¹²

The demand follows an investigation ordered by Molapisi in September 2025 on the instructions of Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Velekosini Hlabisa.¹² Tau Matsimela Attorneys was appointed to conduct the probe, and the final investigative report was handed to Molapisi on 30 January 2026.²

The investigation found that the appointment of the three officials was irregular and had cost the municipality millions of rands.¹² A report commissioned by Molapisi concluded that a failure by the mayor and municipal council to exercise oversight over the appointments resulted in the financial losses.¹

In February, Molapisi visited the municipality to hand over the report.² The mayor and the officials concerned declined to comment.¹²