Monthly progress meetings with contractors and consultants have become a standard practice, helping to monitor projects in real time.
The Polokwane municipality has spent 100% of its Municipal Infrastructure Grant (MUG) for the last financial year, with revenue collection a key component of its success.
Executive mayor and Limpopo chair for the South African Local Government Association (SALGA) and Limpopo mayor Mosema “Makoro” John Mpe told The Citizen the secret for success was teamwork, dedication, and transparency.
“We have turned a new page in our financial performance story — one that reflects discipline, foresight and strengthened governance,” said Mpe, who doubles up as Peter Mokaba ANC regional chairperson.
“Under this teamwork, for the first time in years, this municipality did not return any portion of its allocated budget to the National Treasury in the 2024/25 financial year. This milestone achievement is the result of tightened internal systems, smarter planning and stronger oversight throughout the project cycle.
“In the past, delayed procurement processes and readiness issues often slowed down the pace of project delivery.
“However, in the last financial year, the municipality implemented robust internal controls in the procurement of service providers, ensuring that every project was properly planned and ready for implementation at the start of the financial year,” said Mpe.
Decisive action
Monthly progress meetings with contractors and consultants have become a standard practice, helping to monitor projects in real time, identifying bottlenecks early, and taking decisive corrective action.
“Furthermore, grant spending reports have become a standing item in weekly executive management meetings, allowing the leadership collective to track expenditure closely and intervene swiftly where challenges arise,” he added.
Mpe said this culture of accountability and efficiency has also been reflected in the municipality’s revenue performance.
“We managed to collect an impressive R2.83 billion in the 2024/25 financial year, a steady rise from R2.38 billion in 2023/24, R2.46 billion in 2022/23, R2.32 billion in 2021/22 and R2.09 billion in 2020/21.
“This consistent growth in revenue collection has been driven by a renewed commitment to financial discipline and sustainability.
“The municipality has enforced credit control measures, handed over defaulting accounts to debt collectors, and implemented blocking vending systems to ensure compliance and accountability,” he explained.
“Polokwane’s financial turnaround is therefore not by chance, it is a product of deliberate action, improved systems and a firm commitment to build a city that is financially sound, service-driven and development-focused”
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Salga’s call
Polokwane’s achievement comes at a time when Salga nationally called on councils to spend on their allocated budgets instead of returning funds to the national treasury.
In the recent past, the ANC in Limpopo threatened to take action against its deployees in government who fail to spend their allocated budgets.
On Thursday, MEC for cooperative governance, human settlement and traditional affairs, Rodgers Basikopo Makamu, said although the province showed a significant improvement in its MIG spending and revenue collection, there were still a few municipalities with a few bottlenecks that needed to be loosened.
The province, he said, has 27 local and district municipalities.
He said of the total, only the Maruleng local municipality had below 90% spending.
Ba- Phalaborwa had 99.52%, Mopani 93.81%, Molemole 96.75%, Lephalale 98.50%, Thabazimbi, 99.87% and Elias Motsoaledi 99.57%. All the other councils performed extremely well.
“It must be borne in mind that those who have not spent 100% have applied for rollover and are still awaiting the treasury response, but I remove my hat for my municipalities, their dedication, teamwork and their hunger to improve service,” said Makamu.
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