Note to Editors: Please find attached English and Sesotho soundbites by Cllr Hismajesty Maqhubu and Afrikaans soundbite by David Mc Kay MPL.
The DA in Tokologo has formally tabled a motion before the Municipal Council to address serious governance malfeasance surrounding the 475MW solar project operated by Notsi PV Plant Project in Dealesville.
The project, approved nationally under the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy’s 2019 IPP programme, has proceeded without any formal notice to Council, without a project briefing, and without a Council resolution authorising municipal engagement.
Despite this, the Mayor has been communicating with the company without delegated authority, leaving the Collective Executive, Council and the community completely in the dark.
A project of this magnitude cannot operate in Tokologo without transparency, lawful oversight, and the Municipal Council’s intent. The community deserves clarity, and the Council deserves the truth.
It has now emerged that Notsi PV has served the Municipality with an interdict. Yet, this legal action was never disclosed to Council that sat on 31 August 2026, raising serious concerns about governance, accountability, and compliance with the MFMA and Municipal Systems Act.
The situation escalated further when Public Order Police were deployed in Dealesville this week, following protests by residents and local businesses who felt excluded and misled by the Project’s Liaison Officers, the management of Notsi, as well as the Community Liaison Officer.
The DA’s motion calls for:
- Immediate disclosure of all documents and communications;
- Suspension of all unauthorised engagements with the IPP;
- A full project briefing by Notsi and the DMRE;
- Establishment of a Municipal IPP Oversight Committee;
- A formal public participation process;
- An independent legal review of the interdict and all actions taken to date.
Tokologo must never again find itself sidelined in its own development. Council must reclaim its constitutional authority, restore public trust, and ensure that every project in our municipality is handled lawfully, transparently, and in the best interests of our people.
This motion is not an attack on renewable energy or investment, but a necessary step to ensure proper governance, community inclusion, and legal compliance.