Lack of consequence at municipalities

OPPOSITION parties have complained about lack of consequence in cases of corruption and maladministration found in municipalities.

They also said the budget cuts in the Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) Department flew in the face of efforts to support and build capacity of troubled municipalities.

The parties made the comments during the debate on Cogta’s R83 billion budget yesterday.

This after Cogta Minister Zweli Mkhize earlier announced his department would deploy technical experts to provide support to 87 “distressed or dysfunctional” municipalities.

Mkhize had painted a sad state of affairs in local government where 11 municipalities are presently placed under administration in Free state (3), Eastern Cape (1), KwaZulu-Natal (6) and Western Cape (1).

In North West, 20 out of 22 municipalities have deteriorating audit performance in the 2016/17.

Mkhize raised concern with councils failing to spend the Municipal Infrastructure Grant allocations and also debt owed by municipalities to Eskom and water boards.

The DA’s Kevin Mileham said Mkhize has inherited from his predecessor Des van Rooyen a department that was in a mess.

“Your first job is to address the finances of municipalities,” Mileham said.

He said experts should be dispatched to all municipalities to assist with budgets as 112 out of 257 councils had budget expenditures which exceeded revenue.

Mileham also said the municipal debt owed to Eskom and older than the three years should be scrapped.

“A step like this will ease the financial burden on municipalities. I urge you as chair of the inter-ministerial committee to support this step,” Mileham said.

He said the 45% budget cut on urban development planning programme was bizarre.

“This is an area where technical support is critical and municipalities lack capacity.”

Mileham also said the R5.5 million allocated for anti-corruption and good governance programme was indicative of how careless the ANC took corruption and maladministration.

Mileham said Auditor-general Kimi Makwetu has always bemoaned the lack of consequence for misconduct and maladministration.

The EFF’s Zolile Xalisa said the municipalities were on the brink of collapse and synonymous with corruption, incompetence and mismanagement.

Xalisa said the R83 million allocated to the department was not enough to execute its responsibilities. “This budget will do nothing to address the challenges of local government,” he said.

See report on PAGE 4