Fixing municipal finances must take priority
THE current debate about reopening or not reopening the candidate list for the upcoming elections will not help us at this time, as there are many pressing issues facing our municipalities that need attention.
What is important to me is what the different political formations will do differently to ensure that all municipalities operate in an excellent financial position, and are financially sustainable. I would think that is all we yearn for as citizens, to see all municipalities working effectively and efficiently.
The biggest challenge we face as a nation is stabilising our country's municipal finances. It is essential now for us to critically assess and evaluate how we can improve our municipalities' finances and deliver critical services to communities
What is influencing my thinking is the latest report by the auditor-general that has painted a worrying picture about the state of the country's municipal finances, their reporting capabilities, and the apparent use of consultants.
As we face the upcoming local government elections, one would think that the political parties would be thinking differently to help steer the ailing municipal finances in the right direction and ensure that citizens can appreciate and see value in the money allocated to their municipalities.
In addition, the former auditor-general (the late Kimi Makwetu) made me think about what exactly we will need to do to change the fortunes of some municipalities. Therefore, if we all have the same thinking in what is said below, all municipalities will work hard to improve their governance systems.
“The financial statements of a municipality tell the story of how well it is managed. As is the case with these few municipalities, it can be a good story of disciplined spending that achieves value for money; meticulous billing and collecting practices; assets that are maintained and safeguarded; careful investments and savings for emergencies and future projects; and commitments to creditors and the community being honored.”
One of the most important contributors to improved municipalities' finances is leadership. Let it be a norm that the audit report brings fresh air and gives us a beautiful picture of how well the municipalities used the monies allocated to them to rebuild infrastructure and help with the provision of services to communities.
I also think that there is an urgent need to see more robust performance and monitoring of the municipal finances to correct early warning signs of poor performance and take the necessary corrective actions.
NYANISO QWESHA | Wynberg