DA says Thaba Chweu is one of the worst municipalities
After a week in which Thaba Chweu Local Municipality (TCLM) was found guilty of seven environmental degradation charges, the DA has said it is one of the seven worst municipalities in Mpumalanga.
Trudie Grovè-Morgan, DA member of parliament and DA spokesperson on cooperative governance and traditional affairs (CoGTA), said the party in Mpumalanga will submit a motion in the next legislature sitting, asking for a debate on the damning Auditor-General (AG) report that revealed that 35% of Mpumalanga municipalities are so broke that they may not have the ability to continue functioning in the near future.
They are Emalahleni District Municipality, Lekwa Local Municipality, City of Mbombela Local Municipality, Dipaleseng Local Municipality, Thaba Chweu Local Municipality (TCLM) and Goven Mbeki District Municipality.
The Lydenburg Region Court found TCLM guilty of seven charges in terms of the National Environmental Managing Act (Nema) 107 of 1998 and the National Water Act 36 of 1988, on Monday July 13.
This included pollution of the Dorps and Spekboom rivers in wards 2, 12 and 14, and the mismanagement of the Lydenburg landfill site and two water treatment plants.
Also read: R5m fine and Thaba Chweu guilty of seven charges of polluting the environment | Lowvelder
The AG also noted that many municipalities were unable to accurately bill residents for basic services and consequently 60% of the debt balance in the province was deemed irrecoverable.
The financial health of any municipality is pivotal in its ability to provide services to its residents and in recent times, the provision of water and electricity in many parts of the province was at risk.
Grové-Morgan said the DA will be calling for a debate regarding municipalities collapsing.
“We want to ask Mandla Ndlovu, MEC of CoGTA, how is going to deal with this financial crisis in our municipalities with a specific focus on improving revenue generation and reducing reliance on grants in all municipalities in our province,” Grové-Morgan.
Of 257 municipalities across the country, only 41 received clean audits. TCLM did not respond to questions regarding the DA’s allegations and statement.
