Note to editors: Please find attached an English soundbite by Cllr Thabo Nthapo and Sesotho by Jafta Mokoena MPL.
Under Section 46 of the Local Government: Municipal Systems Act 32 of 2000, the Letsemeng Local Municipality is required to compile an annual performance report to assess its progress against the targets set for the financial year. The municipality’s latest annual performance report tabled on 30 August 2024, presents a bleak outlook for the people of Letsemeng, with the Democratic Alliance (DA) raising serious objections to its findings.
The DA firmly believes that the report reflects a concerning future for Letsemeng, offering little hope of addressing the challenges highlighted in the Auditor-General’s previous year’s report. The municipality achieved a dismal 11% of its targets, a result attributed to several factors that the DA finds deeply troubling. The root causes of this underperformance include:
- Vacant Section 56 management positions: Key leadership roles remain unfilled, hindering effective governance.
- Vacant Municipal Manager position: The lack of a permanent municipal manager undermines the municipality’s stability and strategic direction.
- Inadequate staffing levels: Shortages in various departments prevent staff from fully focusing on their assigned targets.
- Lack of proper oversight by political leadership: The absence of effective oversight further exacerbates governance failures.
These issues are clear indicators of the ANC’s inability to govern effectively, as evidenced by this report. The DA is particularly concerned that internal deficiencies signal a lack of commitment from the ANC-led municipality to strive for a clean audit.
To avoid further deterioration under ANC leadership, the DA urges the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) to ensure that Letsemeng immediately appoints a permanent Municipal Manager and Section 56 managers. We call for an impartial and transparent process, free from the factional battles that have plagued appointments in the past.
The DA is committed to promoting clean governance and enforcing strict consequence management to restore effective service delivery in Letsemeng. We will continue to hold those in power accountable to prevent further decline and safeguard the future of the community.