Many questions and complaints have been raised by tax payers and the community at large. 

Here are the facts. Most of the budget went towards salaries, overspending for over-time, and court cases lost by GTM and legal fees and costs which were not budgeted for. 

The DA requested an independent forensic audit into the high legal fees paid by GTM. 

The DA is of the opinion that most of the fees are inflated with up to 40% after our own research was done. 

In fighting among senior officials, councillors and unions of the ruling party, incompetence, greed, fraud and corruption paralysed municipal work and business. 

The only victims are the tax payers and poorest of the poor. 

The result was that R44m was sent back to National Treasury due to projects that were not implemented. 

This is a direct result of bad planning and maladministration. 

The municipality is not able to meet their financial obligations due to the under spending of conditional grants. 

The GTM requested a loan and over-draft to assist in this regard from two different banks. 

The GTM is seen as a risk and received much less of the actual amount requested.

The other bank queried the appointment of a new acting municipal manager every few months, and granted also less of the original amount requested by GTM. 

There is only R40m available for the implementation of the 2015/2016 Integrated Development Plan for all the entire departments in GTM. 

The only good news if one can call it good, is that minister Pravin Gordhan is keeping an eye on all municipalities and every municipality must report back on the turn-around strategy to be implemented. 

The DA is adamant that all guilty parties and officials being found guilty not only be suspended, but also criminally be prosecuted if that be the case, as well as the implementation of legislation that senior office bearers must pay back the money relevant to the applicable law provided in the Municipal Finance Management Act.

The DA want to sincerely thank all the hard-working officials as well as residents’ encouragement through this process.

I can be contacted on: 079 707 1955.