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The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Maluti-A-Phofung Local Municipality welcomes the intervention by Free State MEC of Corporate Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) in the malfunctioning Municipal Public Accounts Committee (MPAC) in the municipality.

The DA has repeatedly raised concerns about the committee's non-functional state, as it has failed to table any reports to the council since its establishment in 2021 under the MAP16-led administration. This is concerning, especially considering the municipality's UIFW debt of over R6 billion.

In a letter addressed to the Speaker of the council, the MEC has requested that the Speaker provide the department with the measures that MPAC will implement to ensure its functionality and keep CoGTA informed of the progress in this regard.

The DA believes that this issue should have been addressed much earlier if the EFF chairperson of MPAC and the MAP16 council Speaker had not shielded each other and had acted upon the DA's letters from early last year, urging them to prioritise the functionality of this committee.

The lack of leadership within the committee is a significant problem that the MEC's letter, unfortunately, cannot resolve. Therefore, the DA stands firm in its Motion of No Confidence in the chairperson of this committee. We firmly believe that until there is a change in leadership within MPAC, the committee's dysfunctionality will persist. The current chairperson lacks an understanding of his role and the committee's importance in the functioning of the municipality. He should be replaced promptly, as his focus appears to be more on his party, the EFF, rather than the committee's responsibilities.

Issued by DA MPAC member Maluti-a-Phofung Local Municipality