Turn municipalities around by taking decisive action against corrupt officials

5 November 2020

The constant malpractice, unlawful expenditure of tax money and lack of service delivery that are paralysing the Local Municipalities of Rand West (Randfontein, Westonaria), Mogale City (Krugersdorp, Magaliesburg, Muldersdrift), Emfuleni (Evaton, Sebokeng, Vaal Oewer, Vanderbijl Park, Vereeniging), Merafong (Carletonville, Fochville, Wedela) and the District Municipality of Sedibeng (under which the Local Municipalities of Emfuleni, Lesedi and Midvaal fall) can no longer be tolerated.

The FF Plus has repeatedly implored the MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), Lebogang Maile, to take action because the municipalities are behaving recklessly and unlawfully.

Placing municipalities under administration in terms of Section 139 of the Constitution is not the solution to the problem because it is clearly not effective. In many cases in practice, the administrators merely contributed to the deterioration of the municipalities under their control.

The FF Plus is of the view that, as in the case of the Sedibeng District Municipality, decisive action must be taken against officials and councillors who are guilty of financial mismanagement at municipalities.

Incompetent officials must be replaced by dedicated and competent municipal officials. Affirmative Action appointments must be replaced by appointments made on merit. Deploying cadres among municipalities in many cases, like the Sedibeng District Municipality, results in more looting of tax money.

The culture of non-payment for services is another factor that contributes to the financial predicament in which municipalities currently find themselves and it must be addressed. It is not fair to overtax the loyal residents who regularly and diligently pay their service fees in an effort to subsidise the culture of non-payment. If everyone paid their rates and taxes loyally and on time, it would make a substantial difference in municipalities' money coffers.

The FF Plus will keep striving to establish a clean and accountable government and will expose irregularities and corruption at municipalities to ensure that loyal taxpayers get the service delivery they deserve.

Issued by Amanda de Lange, FF Plus MPL: Gauteng, 5 November 2020