MyPE

Community Business Directory, Event Listings, News and Views from Gqeberha, Nelson Mandela Bay

Municipalities must not rob Peter to pay Paul

By

Dear MyPE

Reports that the Eastern Cape has utilised its Water Intervention Grant to fund the financial mismanagement of four municipalities who were unable to pay their Eskom bills in December 2015 is further evidence of the complete lack of foresight and planning with regard to local government issues in this province.

The ESKOM problem is one entirely of the municipalities’ own making. Poor financial management and political infighting within the so-called ruling party have left these municipalities rudderless.

Even though residents pay for services, and the Equitable Share grant pays for free basic services for indigent consumers, maladministration at a municipal level means ESKOM is not paid by the municipality for the bulk supply it provides.

We call on the MEC for Finance, Sakhumzi Somyo, and the MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Fikile Xasa, to immediately clarify whether the Water Intervention Grant was indeed used to bail out financially distressed ANC municipalities, and if so, what they intend to do about the drought disaster that has now been declared in the Chris Hani District Municipality (a mere 2 days after the authorisations were signed!)

It is time for the people of South Africa to send a clear message to the ANC that it can no longer rob Peter to pay Paul, and that South Africa must come first!

The DA will continue to hold municipal officials accountable for what is truly reckless management of state resources.

Regards

Kevin Mileham

The following two tabs change content below.

Port Elizabethan

This author is a 'catch-all' for occasional articles and letters written to MyPE. The Author of each article can be found in the signature at the bottom of each individual article.