UPDATE: Stakeholders weigh in on WRDM disputes
According to reports Gauteng Premier David Makhura has indicated that the municipality will be placed under administration as in accordance with Section 139 of the constitutional court.
Some stakeholders are weighing in on the West Rand District Municipality (WRDM) strike resulting in employees downing tools due to financial mismanagement by the municipality.
According to Siseko Siyothula, Regional Secretary of the South African Municipal Workers’ Union (Samwu) they welcome the Gauteng Premier, David Makhura’s intention to place the WRDM under administration in terms of section 139 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996.
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“We welcome this move as a step in the right direction in addressing the challenges currently faced by the municipality,” said Siyothula.
Workers from the WRDM marched to the offices of Premier Makhura on Wednesday to request the Provincial Government to intervene at the municipality.
The protests come after municipality workers did not receive their salaries in full and third parties such as medical aids, pension funds and funeral policies have not been paid, despite the fact that the money for the benefits has been deducted from employees’ salaries.
“Already workers are receiving calls from these third parties informing them that payment has not been forthcoming from the municipality. Some of the workers are not able to visit doctors as their medical aids are in arrears. We cannot begin to think of the worst case scenario, in which a member or his dependent dies but funeral policies refuse to pay out because policies have lapsed as a result of non-payment,” explained Siyothula
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He added, “In addition to welcoming the decision to place the municipality under administration, we will also be demanding that the appointed administrator institute proceedings against those who illegally invested over R77 million of the municipality’s money with the now liquidated VBS Mutual Bank. We believe that this money would have gone a long way towards addressing the liquidity challenges faced by the municipality.”
The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA) said they are concerned about the safety of communities on the West Rand, as emergency services are now on hold due to the municipality’s financial collapse.
“The executives of the municipality must be held accountable should any disastrous consequences result from the emergency services strike,” said Michael Holenstein, OUTA Local Manager.
According to OUTA, the municipality has been struggling for years to meet its financial obligations.
“The municipality’s illegal VBS Bank investment was not the reason for the financial demise, but was probably the final nail in the coffin and illustrates the financial mismanagement at that municipality. The municipal manager, CFO and mayor must be charged for illegally investing in VBS,” said Holenstein.
“The Executive Mayor, Boyce Maneli, should never have allowed the West Rand emergency services to come to a standstill. It is the duty of a mayor to reach out for assistance from the provincial government to restore the services urgently. It is unacceptable that disaster assistance, emergency services and fire-fighting services are not available to assist citizens in case of emergency,” explained Holenstein.
He added that this interruption comes when Gauteng is experiencing a heatwave with a ‘red’ fire alert status issued by the South African Weather service.
“We call on the Premier to make sure emergency services are available to residents until this impasse has been resolved,” said Holenstein.
Holenstein said further that they welcome reports that the failed municipality is to be put under administration.
OUTA Local is an organised initiative to establish an apolitical civil rights platform on a local level to ensure the efficient and prosperous functioning of municipalities, free from the abuse of authority and governed with the efficient use of tax revenue.
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