Note to Editors: Please find attached English and Afrikaans soundbites by David Mc Kay MPL and Sesotho soundbite by Jafta Mokoena MPL. See attached pictures here, here, here, and here.
The ANC’s announcement to remove six Mayors in municipalities across the Free State vindicates what the Democratic Alliance (DA) has been saying for many years: The ANC is the cause of the collapse in local government in the Free State.
The announcement today means that several municipalities, including Nala, Nketoana, Moqhaka, Letsemeng, Mafube and Lejweleputswa, may be without Mayors. Somewhere between the factionalism, infighting, and allegations of fraud and corruption, the ANC must now decide from its shrinking pool of cadres who the organisation will present to the people as successors in these municipalities.
While the changes are welcomed, we remain observant of the fact that it takes more than one reshuffle to turn a municipality around. There must be a consistent effort to introduce competent individuals into critical roles, root out corruption, and motivate those guilty of financial misconduct to face the full might of the law.
According to the Auditor General’s (AG) annual Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA) reports, no local municipality in the province has received a clean audit in over seven years.
The Free State has been brought to its knees by deeply rooted corruption, incompetence, and a cadre deployment policy that helps to prop up a few elites. At the same time, the majority of residents are left to suffer under their rule.
The DA’s track record proves that when you put clean governance, accountability, and the people first, municipal service delivery is possible. Residents of the Free State deserve municipalities that work and a party that works for them.
The upcoming Local Government Elections (LGE) will be pivotal for service delivery in the province, and residents must decide whether they want more of the same or to vote for a chance at change.