Note to Editors: Please find attached English and Sesotho soundbites by Cllr Hismajesty Maqhubu.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) will escalate oversight by referring Tokologo Local Municipality’s wasteful expenditure to the Free State Department of CoGTA to ensure accountability. This follows continued reckless spending by municipal management, which squanders scarce public resources while depriving residents of basic services.
This cash-strapped municipality in the Free State has already wasted R2 million on payments to Dr Mohale for a so-called “Wellness Programme” for municipal workers.
This expenditure was classified as irregular by the Auditor-General of South Africa in the 2024/2025 financial year. Now, instead of prioritising service delivery, Tokologo has once again chosen to spend hundreds of thousands of rand on a social jamboree termed an “Employee Wellness Day”.
While communities suffer from poor sanitation, housing backlogs, and crumbling infrastructure, the municipality diverts taxpayer money to staff closing parties and social evenings unrelated to the municipality’s core business. These events are nothing more than indulgent luxuries at the expense of residents who receive few of the services they are entitled to.
The DA reiterates that every cent of public money must be directed towards improving citizens’ lives, not funding frivolous entertainment for municipal staff. We demand accountability from Tokologo’s leadership and call on the relevant authorities to investigate this blatant disregard for financial prudence and lawful governance.
The people of Tokologo deserve a municipality that respects taxpayers’ money and prioritises service delivery over wasteful expenditure.