A struggling Mpumalanga municipality rocked by infighting and allegations of corruption and looting has been placed under administration.

The Mpumalanga government's provincial executive committee resolved on Friday, to put the Dr JS Moroka local municipality under administration following nine months of infighting which have hampered service delivery.

Spokesperson Sasekani Manzini said the executive committee has written to the minister of cooperative governance Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma about the decision.

"The process of the appointment of an administrator that would be there for six months will start after the minister has responded," Manzini said.

Mayor Thulare Madileng has been embroiled in a conflict with municipal manager Thami Ngobeni in a protracted battle that has seen the intervention of the courts and the office of the public protector investigating allegations of maladministration and corruption.

The provincial government said in a statement the decision to put the municipality under administration was informed by the "instances of administrative and leadership challenges leading to unrest making it impossible for the municipality to deliver basic services".