Note to editors: Please find attached an English soundbite by Cllr Ntombi Mokoena.
The watchdog for the finances of Phumelela Local Municipality is being hampered in the execution of its duties. The Municipal Public Accounts Committee (MPAC), meant to play an oversight role in the municipality, had its last meeting in August 2022.
The DA has raised numerous queries as to why the MPAC has not had meetings over the last couple of months, with no response forthcoming from the municipality. According to the Auditor General’s report, Unauthorised, Irregular, Fruitless and wasteful expenditure in the municipality is at irregularly high levels, yet the committee has not interrogated the findings or issued a report to the council.
In 2022, after the Auditor General’s report was released, MPAC met to interrogate the report. Shortly after the findings were announced, the manager of the audit committee left the municipality, and no further meetings were called. Upon enquiring, the Chair of MPAC informed the DA that he was waiting for the audit office to supply dates on which such meetings can be held.
The Auditor General’s report for 2021/2022 shows:
- Money owed by the municipality was not regularly paid within 30 days.
- The municipality did not take reasonable steps to prevent the irregular expenditure of R14 284 537.
- The municipality did not take reasonable steps to prevent fruitless and wasteful expenditure amounting to R11 299 168
- No reasonable steps were implemented to prevent unauthorised expenditure amounting to R92 504 657
The purpose of the Committee is to perform an oversight function on behalf of the council and to ensure corrective and preventative steps are taken to safeguard the municipality against non-compliance with prescriptive legislation.
The DA will raise questions in council on the reasons why the MPAC has not had any meetings. It will write to SALGA to inform them of the matter and to ask for assistance in ensuring the committee has regular meetings.
The DA remains committed to ensuring that local government is held responsible for its lack of action and accountability for taxpayer money and that these committees are dedicated to the role they are meant to play within the municipality.