The party’s Gavin Edwards says irregular expenditure, tender irregularities, cadre deployment, and corruption in municipalities are worrisome. He said the state of municipalities in the province is dire, with many of them failing to provide basic services to residents. 

The EFF’s Lebogang Xaba, reacting to the 2021/22 budget tabled before the Legislature, said it is also disappointing that municipalities are reliant on the use of consultants and spend millions on them without it yielding any positive results. Xaba says corruption in municipalities is contributing to their inability to settle their debts and make employees’ third-party payments. Freedom Front Plus’ De Wet Nel added that Treasury should launch investigations into municipalities and ensure those implicated in corruption are held responsible.

The North West Treasury MEC, Motlalepula Rosho, on Thursday tabled the department’s 2021/22 financial year budget of R559 million. She said with this budget they are committed to ensuring that vacancies are filled and support is provided to municipalities.

Rosho said they will be intensifying efforts to assist municipalities and strengthen their efforts towards those already under administration.

More than half of the municipalities in the province are currently under administration.

OFM News