Nothing will come of the ANC’s promises that it will improve basic service delivery at municipal level if service fees are not collected, and competent people are not appointed to key positions, Dr. Pieter Groenewald, the FF Plus’ parliamentary spokesperson on cooperative governance and traditional affairs, said.

Dr. Groenewald said today during the budget debate of this department that the ANC government, which manages more than 80% of municipalities in South Africa currently, are now making statements that there now has to be a return to the fundamental principles of local government by doing the basic things correctly.

He says that it does not mean joining different municipalities such as Tlokwe and Ventersdorp in an attempt to manipulate municipal election results.

“It has nothing to do with fundamentals of good management. It merely shows that the ANC is scared of the forthcoming local government elections.

“Fundamentals include appointing competent officials to positions where they can render services. The ANC does not do it, and the minister (Des van Rooyen) knows it. He was the mayor of Merafong where competent people were also not appointed to strategic positions.

“In 47 percent of municipalities in the country, there aren’t any engineers. Then questions are asked why children die from drinking contaminated water in places such as Bloemhof. It is because there isn’t an engineer that can ensure that the water is purified. What happened there is in the hands of the minister.

“Fundamentals include making people pay for basic services, such as water and electricity. This is not happening. Service fees owed in South Africa amounts to more than R100 billion. At the Matlosana municipality, the amount owing is more than R1,5 billion.

“If those fees are paid, it would mean that there would not have to be a budget or an increase in the municipal budget for the next year, as that amount covers the whole budget of the municipality. It would be unnecessary to pay service fees for a whole year. That is the implication of the money owed.

“Back to basics, means a need to offer services to the public and in particular the taxpayers, but the service of municipal officials and councillors of, especially, the ANC, do not exist,” Dr. Groenewald said.

Issued by FF Plus