Municipalities owed less by errant councillors

THE number of KwaZulu-Natal councillors who owemunicipalities money on outstanding rates and service accounts has declined when compared to previous years.

This was according to Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs MEC Nomusa Dube-Ncube following an analysis of councillors’ debt.

In January Dube-Ncube instructed all 61 municipalities in the province to institute disciplinary action against any councillor found to have defaulted on his or her rates account as this constituted a violation of the councillors’ code of conduct.

This followed an in-depth investigation by her department into a number of compliance issues by municipal officials, which included investigations into the payment of rates by councillors.

The councillors at the time collectively owed R1.5 million. Although the current debt was not given, Dube-Ncube said this week that, compared to previous years, there had been an improvement.

“The councillors have clearly heeded our calls to lead by example and pay up. No councillor can expect his or her constituents to have faith in their municipal administration if he or she defaults on municipal payments in the first place,” she said.

Dube-Ncube said municipalities depended on rates for survival and all ratepayers were expected to honour their obligation with councillors setting the example.

A similar investigation is to be extended to public servants in other spheres of government.