Note to Editors: Please find attached English and Afrikaans soundbites by Cllr Doreen Wessels and Sesotho soundbite by Jafta Mokoena MPL
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Phumelela will formally oppose the proposed appointment of a new Director for the Department of Planning and call for an immediate freeze on all non-essential senior management posts until basic service delivery is stabilised and the municipality’s wage bill is brought under control.
The municipality’s salary budget has exceeded its originally proposed limits by 41%, yet residents continue to endure deteriorating basic services. This excessive spending on salaries has not translated into improved delivery, but instead reflects misplaced priorities at a time when communities are demanding functioning infrastructure, refuse removal, and reliable maintenance services.
The DA is deeply concerned that senior administrative expansion is being prioritised over strengthening frontline service capacity. There appears to be a troubling pattern of politically connected appointments rather than merit-based recruitment, contributing to a shortage of appropriately skilled personnel in critical technical departments. As a result, infrastructure repairs are delayed, maintenance backlogs grow, and essential services decline further — directly impacting households and local businesses.
The crisis is compounded by the imbalance within the workforce. While administrative posts continue to grow, there is a shortage of personnel who are physically and operationally capable of performing labour-intensive duties such as refuse removal and infrastructure maintenance. At the same time, inconsistencies in the handling of retirements have left the municipality with operational gaps that further weaken service delivery.
The DA therefore demands an immediate skills audit, a freeze on new executive appointments, and the redirection of funds towards recruiting competent technical staff. Without urgent corrective action, financial mismanagement will continue to erode service delivery and undermine public trust.