Planned turnaround strategy is not effective

LYDENBURG – “The turnaround strategy is a process not an event.” This is the answer the newspaper receives whenever it asks if any progress has been made.

It has been more than three months since the MEC for cooperative governance and traditional affairs conducted an assessment of the finances of Thaba Chweu Municipality.And yet, it is evident that certain areas have seen little or no improvement.

This assessment identified significant financial problems within the municipality and hence a turnaround strategy, supported by a team from Ehlanzeni District Municipality, the department and provincial treasury was conducted.

The support for the municipality was announced by the MECs to be for an initial period of three months from October 1, 2013.

According to the report, the strategy would include looking at various service focus areas like fleet management, electricity accounts, electricity distribution and water-related issues.

The report stated that there was a shortage in the municipal fleet, resulting in hiring 13 bakkies from service providers.

The required intervention would assist TCLM to participate in Mpumalanga Provincial Government’s RT contract in order to procure a fleet which would reduce the cost of hiring at R22 000 per vehicle per month. A review of the fleet management rental contract would be conducted as it was an unauthorised expenditure.

Last week the newspaper reported that, despite the fact that TCLM would apparently aim at obtaining its own fleet, TCM was still hiring bakkies from Avis car rental, and it had failed to honour the rental account. Avis served the municipality with a notice of attachment and several vehicles were written up by the sheriff after a High Court ruling in the North Gauteng Court.

Relating to water problems in and around town, the plan was apparently to address the shortage of personnel and the vacant superintendent post in all three units. “There are no qualified plumbers and not enough general workers. There are operator shortages in treatment plants at all plants.”

And yet again, despite the three-month lapse after the intervention, households have been without running water for weeks on end. Last week the entire pump station was underwater and the electric pumps were soaked.

The expected time frame for improvement on this issue was November 30.

The newspaper asked TCLM whether there had been any improvement since the task team was sent to intervene. The answer was, “The turnaround strategy can take longer than we expected. The task team is doing everything in its power to make sure the situation does not recur. A detailed report will be forwarded regarding the recovery plan after it is adopted by the council.”

Until then residents have to be satisfied with water shortages, the disintegration of public roads and electricity outages