BLOEMFONTEIN - "The Auditor General's (AG) report paints a picture that is not good," SA Municipal Workers' Union president Sam Molope told the union's national congress in Bloemfontein.

He said moving officials from one municipality to the other entrenched corruption, contributing to the problems identified by the AG.

Molope said the AG's report showed most service delivery protests were the result of blurred lines between the state and political parties.

Other problems which the AG identified included incompetent senior officials, and poor management systems.

Molope said the congress discussed these problems. He said Samwu had for many years focused its energies on problems faced by local government.

"We should take time to assess the state of the union, because we are in a different epoch and we also need to look at the environment that we operate within."

The conference continues until Friday.