Note to editors: Please find attached an English soundbite by Cllr Ian Riddle.
The request from Xhariep District Municipality for additional funding for the employment of a bodyguard/driver for the Speaker at the cost of R411 840,72 annually is needless and worrying. This request comes at a time when the Municipality is unable to fully fund its current salary bill and has been forced to request an overdraft to pay its employees.
As representatives of the people, we are committed to ensuring that public funds are used in a responsible and accountable manner. We have opposed the appointment of an additional bodyguard for the Speaker and are requesting a full explanation from both the Mayor and the Corporate Director regarding the Municipality’s budgetary needs and how it plans to address them.
The DA strongly condemns this request and believes that it is a clear example of poor financial management and misplaced priorities. We call on the Municipality to focus on its core functions and to ensure that it delivers the services that the people of Xhariep District rely on.
The needs of the community and the financial stability of the Municipality must be prioritised. Therefore, we are urging the Municipality to provide a clear and detailed explanation of its budgetary needs and to take urgent action to address its financial challenges.
As the DA, we remain committed to holding the Municipality accountable and to working with other stakeholders to find solutions to the financial challenges facing local government in our country. We will continue to fight for the best interests of the people of Xhariep District and to ensure that their voices are heard.