The South African National Civic Organisation (Sanco) in North West has blamed what it calls a lack of consequence management as a major cause of the collapse of service delivery in the province.

The civic organisation’s comment follows a court ruling that ceded Mamusa Local Municipality’s movable assets and bank account to a private company for it to recoup R7.8-million owed to it.

“The extent to which incompetence is affecting delivery of services to our communities and creating an atmosphere for corruption to thrive needs to be promptly addressed if confidence in public institutions is to be restored ‚” Sanco provincial chairperson Paul Sebegoe said.

Sebegoe said that maladministration had resulted in inadequate financial controls‚ corruption practices in awarding of tenders and poor contract management.

He said that hazardous running sewers in Ipelegeng township streets - while there was a squabble about who had rightfully been awarded a tender - was a serious indictment on the part of those who were supposed to better the lives of people.

“Such situations can only occur when the eyes of those who are supposed to hold municipalities accountable are off the ball. To them our communities and their needs don't matter‚" he said.