Note to editors: Please find attached English and Afrikaans soundbites by Cllr Alison Oates and Sesotho by Cllr Moshe Lefuma.
In a recent report, the Auditor General (AG) exposed a myriad of irregular practices at Maluti-a-Phofung Local Municipality (MaP) during the period from July 2021 to June 2022. The findings paint a stark picture, indicating severe governance failures caused by the municipalities’ actions.
The report highlighted a range of alarming issues, including inadequate asset management, unauthorised (R 3.9 billion), fruitless and wasteful (R2.1 billion) and irregular expenditure exceeding (R 1 billion) totalling R7,000,000,000. Flawed accounting methods, discrepancies between billing systems and valuations leading to overcharges, and lack of proper authorisation for bank withdrawals to name a few. This alarming state of affairs persisted under the leadership of the ANC Mayor, Mosia-Lakaje, and later, under MAP-16’s Mayor, Mokotso, who failed to implement essential Council resolutions.
The Democratic Alliance firmly advocates for urgent Section 139(7) National intervention to rectify the municipality’s inability to fulfil its executive duties, as mandated by the Constitution. The AG also recommends collaboration between the Municipal Council, the South African Local Government Association, and the National and Provincial Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs as essential steps to reverse this trend.
The municipality’s inability to adhere to proper governance standards has led to significant financial losses, mismanagement, and diminished public services, directly impacting the community’s well-being and economic stability.
We urge all residents to register to vote in the upcoming 2024 National and Provincial Government elections. Your vote can be a powerful instrument for change, allowing us to reverse this damaging label of MaP as a harmful municipality. Together, we can rebuild and revitalise our community.