Note to Editors: Please find attached English soundbite by Cllr Richard Khumalo, Sesotho soundbite by Cllr Ana Motaung and Afrikaans soundbite by Cllr Eleanor Quinta. See attached pictures here and here.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Maluti-A-Phofung Local Municipality (MaP) will formally request a detailed allocation and deployment plan from the municipal administration and intensify oversight to ensure that the recently procured fleet is distributed fairly and transparently across all units and towns.
We note the municipality’s recent procurement of three (3) TLB machines and six (6) bakkies. We acknowledge that the TLB machines are to be distributed among the three towns in the municipality: Qwaqwa, Kestell, and Harrismith. We also acknowledge that bakkies are currently undergoing registration and licensing processes before being allocated to various departments.
The DA welcomes any initiative aimed at improving service delivery. However, procurement alone does not guarantee improvement. What matters most is the transparent, fair, and strategic allocation of these resources to ensure they directly benefit residents. For far too long, communities have suffered due to equipment shortages, maintenance delays, and poor operational planning.
We further note that the vehicles currently being processed will also assist with public participation initiatives. While public engagement is important, we urge the administration to prioritise critical service delivery departments, particularly water, electricity, roads, and sanitation, once the licensing process is complete.
Residents of Maluti-A-Phofung deserve accountable governance and tangible improvements in service delivery. The DA will continue to exercise oversight to ensure that municipal resources are used efficiently, transparently, and in the best interest of our communities.