Housing audit needed to address access, accountability
7 March 2017
Release: Immediate
The Democratic Alliance will request an investigation from the Auditor-General into the financial mismanagement of the Siyancuma Local Municipality. While the municipality cannot afford basic service delivery, a consultant is being paid more than R210 000 a month to do the municipal staff’s work.
The responsibilities of the municipality manager are now entirely being carried out by the consultant. This is while the municipality is deeply indebted to Eskom, refuse is not being collected as the vehicles are broken, the water truck isn’t working, roads are not being repaired and sewage often runs into the road. There is never any money to address service delivery issues, but apparently there is money to pay a consultant to do the municipal manager’s job for him.
A Municipal Public Accounts Committee meeting was scheduled for Friday. Once again, the municipal manager sent the consultant in the place of the chief financial officer to answer the questions raised on the mismanagement of municipal funds. Why must a municipality which cannot afford basic service delivery carry the costs for a consultant to do the municipal staff’s work?
Is this another way of the ANC putting itself ahead of the people?
The service delivery problems have been reported to the mayor, who simply shrugs her shoulders and says it is provincial issues. She shows no interest in finding any solution to the challenges.
The Democratic Alliance will not let the deterioration of Douglas continue. We need to remove those who do not have the best interests of the public at heart.
Queries:
Llemfvia van Niekerk
DA councillor in Siyancuma
083 285 2377
Tharina Whittaker
Researcher
071 251 5558
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