Tlokwe misspends R143 million under ANC, AG finds

The Tlokwe municipality in Potchefstroom irregularly spent R143 million in 2011/12 under former ANC mayor Maphetle Maphetle. Another R152 million was spent without authorization.

A further R2.8 million was wastefully spent.

These are the findings of the latest Auditor General's (AG) report on Tlokwe received by DA mayor Annette Combrink.

Tlokwe also underspent its budget by R48 million and "as a consequence service delivery was negatively affected", the AG found.

In most cases 60% of the delivery targets set for the municipality were too vague for the Auditor General to verify.

The AG identified 63 problem areas in Tlokwe's finances in total.

Dramatic increases in irregular and unauthorized expenditure as well as the material under-expenditure have become endemic in the North-West Province, plagued by years of the ANC's factional infighting in a quest for power and the control over financial resources.

A plan to clean-up Tlokwe's finances and improve delivery has already been drafted by DA mayor Combrink and her team.

Details of the DA's delivery plan will be released this week.

The DA has made major strides in improving governance in Tlokwe in the short time that we've been in office.

As long as the DA governs Tlokwe we will make delivery our first priority and reject all wasteful and luxury spending.

Statement issued by Chris Hattingh, DA Leader in the North West, February 11 2013

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