AfriForum takes a closer look at TCM’s turnaround strategy

LYDENBURG -Mr Leon de Jager, local Afriforum chairman, this week reacted to the article recently published concerning the turnaround strategy of Thaba Chweu Municipality.

De Jager told the newspaper that “The task team of three (or is it nine?) sent to ‘turn Thaba Chweu Municipality around’ by the premier of Mpumalanga more than three months ago, needs to be evaluated by the residents of Lydenburg/Mashishing, Sabie and Graskop.

“Did we as residents experience any change or notice any improvement at TCM since theteam took over its management? Is it still the same circus or did the premier just change the clowns?”

He said residents should look at what the issues were before they took over. “The Eskom account was in arrears by more than R164 million. According to last week’s paper this outstanding account has now grown to R181 million, an increase of R17 million, is this an improvement? The revenue department, especially the billing system, was a mess and according to a statement by Mr Nkosi, made recently, this department is still not functioning properly, is this improvement?”

He said the sidewalks of the towns were a disgrace with overgrown with grass, gaping manholes and open storm-water manholes. “The situation is still the same or worse today with no improvement. No municipal by-laws were implemented then, and it is still the case. No proper traffic policing occurred then, apart from the occasional speed traps held on Saturday and Sunday mornings (to earn overtime we presume). This has also not changed.”

De Jager added that roads in the three towns were in a sad state of disrepair and riddled with potholes. The state of the roads has further deteriorated. “The reservoirs of the towns were leaking or overflowing, lack of water supply due to burst pipes were the order of the day, driving around town the ‘mole heaps’ left by the workers of TCM after fixing burst pipes can still be seen and the reservoirs are still leaking.

Is this an improvement? Mr Nkosi, what has happened to the R2,5 million grants paid to TCM by Department of Water Affairs and Forestry (Dwaf) on the ‘war on water leaks’ programme? We have not seen any of this implemented.”

De Jager also asked if there had been an improvement in the collection of revenue over the past three months. “We do not know because the information is not made available. Yet if one looks at the cash-flow budget incorporated in the task team’s ‘turnaround strategy’ document, covering the period October to December 2013, it only reflects an increase of R551 000 in revenue over the three months, only a 3,5 per cent increase. Is this an improvement?”

“What did the councillors do to improve the situation over the last three months? Did you, residents, know that the councillors had the audacity to bring a motion to December’s council meeting to increase their allowances by 6,5 per cent? Why did they do this, simply because such an increase was allowed for in the present budget?

Is this not clear proof that councillors are only keeping the seats of council warm to serve their own interests? TCM owe its creditors over R282 million, as published in December’s local newspaper, this happened on their watch as councillors. Yet they have the arrogance to bring a motion to council for an increase, while expecting their suppliers to whom TCM owe millions to wait a further six months before there is a possibility that TCM will pay them.”

He said councillors should not get any increase until all the outstanding creditors have been paid. “Are you, residents of TCM, looking forward to better service delivery in 2014? I am sure you are, but can TCM deliver?”