ANC has duty to exercise oversight

I READ with disgust the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality’s justification when the ANC submitted questions on monies spent on travel (“ANC flays DA over travel costs of R4.2m”, June 21).

Budget and treasury head Retief Odendaal’s delusional response, that the ANC must be the last to inquire about the expenditure as it was guilty of the same act when in charge, is flying in the face of his party’s election promise of clean governance and financial prudence.

The ANC, as the official opposition in council, has every right to inquire about expenditure and wastage on non-core functions in ensuring that it plays its oversight role, the same role DA applied when it used to be in opposition.

The DA lacks governance experience, hence now and again members must travel to the City of Cape Town, Johannesburg and Tshwane metro’s municipalities to consult their peers.

Odendaal and his mayoral committee peers must familiarise themselves with the fact that section 62(1)(a) of the Municipal Finance Management Act stipulates that the accounting officer of a municipality is responsible for managing the financial administration of a municipality and must for this purpose take all reasonable steps to ensure that the resources of the municipality are used effectively, efficiently and economically.

The cabinet resolved that all spheres of government, including municipalities and municipal entities, must implement measures to contain operational costs and eliminate all non-essential expenditure.

There must be submission of strong motivation by those requesting permission to travel.

When the new administration took over after last year’s elections, all councillors were inducted on how council functioned, and were taken through workshops on municipal legislation and by-laws.

The national Treasury, on behalf of all three spheres of government, has negotiated improved discounts for flights and accommodation.

Therefore, municipalities and municipal entities are requested to use these agreements to assist in their respective cost-containment measures, unless they can negotiate lower rates.

Justifying the Cape Town trips that Athol Trollip took to consult his political principals when he fought with his deputy mayor as being funded by the DA, Odendaal must provide proof.

In my observation and being a former municipal employee, financial discipline is not maintained by officials.

Now and again municipal officials and politicians drive hired cars and fly on trips that you will not find add any value to the municipality, adding to the culture of non-adherence to cut down on non-core functions.

In the cabinet directive, officials have been told to limit or stop overseas trips and the delegations going on such trips unless a tangible and clear benefit to the local community and performance of essential service provision can be established beforehand.

Those without water and sanitation, housing, electricity and jobs should be taken care of instead of wasting funds travelling to Cape Town and Johannesburg seeking assistance.

The city manager must be tough and decisive on those who are reckless in spending the municipality’s funds.

So please Retief Odendaal and your leadership, stop defending the indefensible and do your job as constitutionally mandated, and the ANC will continue to play its oversight role.

Gift Ngqondi, head, media and communications unit, ANC Nelson Mandela Bay region