URBAN COUNCILS ACT Chapter 29:15 (3) The council shall, with all due expedition, comply with any direction given to it in terms of subsection (1). 314 Minister may reverse, suspend, rescind resolutions, decisions, etc. of councils (1) Where the Minister is of the view that any resolution, decision or action of a council is not in the interests of the inhabitants of the council area concerned or is not in the national or public interest, the Minister may direct the council to reverse, suspend or rescind such resolution or decision or to reverse or suspend such action. (2) Any direction of the Minister in terms of subsection (1) to a council shall be in writing. (3) The council shall, with all due expedition, comply with any direction given to it in terms of subsection (1). 315 Minister’s power to direct certain actions and elimination of deficit (1) Where— (a) a council has failed to give effect to any of the duties imposed upon it by or under this Act or any other law; or (b) the final accounts of a council for any financial year reveal an accumulated deficit on the consolidated revenue account and the council has not provided to the satisfaction of the Minister for the elimination or reduction of such deficit; the Minister may, after having given the council an opportunity to submit any representations it may wish to make in connection therewith, direct the council to take such action as he considers necessary within a time specified by him. (2) Where the council fails to take action in accordance with a directive in terms of subsection (1) within the time specified, the Minister may take appropriate action on behalf of the council and recover the expenses incurred in connection therewith from the council. (3) For the purposes of subsection (2), the Minister may do all or any of the following— (a) take action in a competent court for the recovery of any expenses incurred in terms of that subsection; or (b) declare that any income of the council shall be applied to the payment of such expenses and appoint a receiver who is hereby authorized to attach so much of such income as will meet such expenses; or (c) levy a special rate on all rateable property within the council area for the purpose of recovering such expenses or eliminating or reducing any deficit referred to in paragraph (b) of subsection (1), and such rate shall be levied in all respects as if it were a general rate levied in terms of subsection (1) of section two hundred and seventy-two. 316 Correction of errors or omissions If an act or thing required to be done or in terms of this Act is omitted to be done or is not done in the manner or within the time so required, the Minister may order all such steps to be taken as in his opinion are necessary or desirable to rectify such act or thing, and the said act or thing when done in terms of the said order shall be of the same force and validity as if originally done in accordance with the appropriate provisions of this Act: Provided that no person shall be deprived in terms of this section of any right which he may have acquired before the Minister makes an order in terms of this section. 317 Authentication or execution of orders, etc Every order, notice or other document requiring authentication or execution by a council shall be sufficiently authenticated or executed if it is— (a) signed by the mayor or chairman of the council or the town clerk or some other employee duly authorized by the council, in the presence of such witnesses as may be required by law; or (b) authenticated or executed in the presence of the witnesses referred to in paragraph (a) in the manner determined in the standing orders of the council. 129