Note to Editors: Please find attached English soundbite by Cllr Alison Oates, Afrikaans soundbite by Cllr Leona Kleynhans and Sesotho soundbite by Cllr Ana Motaung.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) will push for urgent budget reform in Maluti-a-Phofung (MaP) to ensure that municipal spending truly reflects the needs of residents. The municipality has spent R717 million on salaries between July 2024 and June 2025, with little to show for service delivery. This imbalance in allocations leaves communities trapped in poverty while essential services are underfunded.
The spending breakdown tells the story:
- 22% went to Water staff, yet residents still suffer an unreliable supply.
- Sports, Arts and Culture (6%) received almost the same as Electricity (7%) despite power supply issues.
- Local Economic Development received just 2% – in a municipality with crippling
unemployment. - Political leadership – 8%
- Running the municipality – 20% (Finance, MM’s office, and Corporate services)
- Public safety – 15%
- Infrastructure – 14%
- Human Settlements – 6%
This imbalance is no accident. At the start of the current Council term in 2022, no objectives were finalised, and no organogram was adopted to align staffing with service delivery. The then-Executive Mayor, Gilbert Mokotso of MaP16, even failed to attend the strategy session where this critical direction should have been set.
Instead of prioritising service delivery, the ANC-run municipality has allowed bloated staff costs to swallow resources while residents pay the price.
The DA will continue to hold MaP’s leadership accountable and will table questions in Council to compel urgent budget reform. Only by electing competent and accountable leadership in the next local government elections can these mistakes be corrected and service delivery restored.