COGTA Minister admits that poor governance is the main cause of municipal decline

23 June 2023

Poor governance and management is one of the main causes of the decline of municipalities across the country – particularly where the ANC is in power.

This emerged from a response by the Minister of Traditional Affairs and Cooperative Governance (Cogta), Thembi Nkadimeng, to a parliamentary question from the FF Plus.

At present, only 171 (or 45%) of all the municipalities in the country have the prescribed infrastructure repair plans in place. And of these, only 18 (or about 9%) have been fully implemented.

The fact that there has been a sharp decrease since 2022 in the number of repair plans that are fully implemented – from 60 to a mere 18 in 2023 – clearly indicates that ANC-controlled municipalities still find themselves on a slippery slope to utter ruin.

Even in the Western Cape there is not a single municipality that has fully implemented its repair plan.

This is despite years of the Department and ANC government making one announcement after the other of interventions at municipalities to pacify voters.

These range from the implementation of a non-existent district development model of R109 million, to endless warnings and "advice" offered to municipalities riddled with corruption and deployed ANC cadres.

Add to that the recent findings of the Auditor-General (AG), Ms Tsakani Maluleke, who pointed out, among other things, that she had to withhold audit opinions from 27 municipalities due to the extent of irregularities and legal violations.

So, it is obvious that under ANC rule, municipal recovery is mere wishful thinking.

Maluleke also found that 203 municipalities had failed to adequately budget for the maintenance and improvement of infrastructure.

And in the meantime, the infrastructure in towns and cities is decaying at an alarming pace.

In addition, yesterday, councillors in the Matlosana Local Municipality, which is supposed to serve Klerksdorp, Stilfontein, Orkney and Hartbeesfontein, were suddenly informed that Eskom had attached the municipality's bank accounts.

The reason being its outstanding debt of R1,2 billion, while the Municipality is begging for a financial lifeline from the National Treasury.

Meanwhile, 647 cases of fraud and corruption at municipalities countrywide are being investigated by The Hawks and the police.

Corruption, fraud, mismanagement and the incompetent, poor governance of municipalities will never be eradicated under ANC rule.

South Africans deserve better than the ANC.

Issued by Michael Groenewald, FF Plus MP and chief spokesperson: Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), 23 June 2023