Ilembe municipality shows improvement

The Ilembe district municipality is well on its way to achieving its goal of a clean administration.
Ilembe received its fifth unqualified audit opinion with matters of emphasis for the 2012/2013 financial year.
The opinion was released as part of the municipality’s draft annual report for 2012/2013 at a full council meeting last week.
Among the matters of emphasis raised by the office of the auditor general were material adjustments to the annual financial statements, disclosure of misappropriation of funds as material losses, ineffective system of internal control for asset management, and failing to take reasonable steps to prevent irregular expenditure of R15m.
Ilembe district had an overall surplus of R295 million in the 2012/2013 financial year, which included transfers recognised from conditional capital grants of R313 million.
The municipality’s debt impairment stands at R72m and measures are in place to recoup outstanding money from consumers.
Great strides were made in line with revenue collection, with 68% of total revenue collected and 74% of outstanding debtors handed over.
District mayor Welcome Mdabe said the district had met 61% of its set targets in the 2012/2013 financial year, with 14% in progress and scheduled for completion by June this year.
The district also undertook 12 water access projects and connected 2549 households with water and 4103 with sanitation.
Heeding the advice of the AG’s office last year when they were told to urgently fill vacancies Ilembe has filled 82% of posts in the municipality’s organogram.
“The revenue department continues to face challenges in terms of the collection rates, but continues to find ways to improve the system. The intelligent meter system project is underway and the municipality is currently exploring the concept of establishing an in house debt collection system which is believed that it will be more effective and have a more positive impact on the municipality,” said Mdabe.
Mdabe said the municipality is committed to fight and eradicate poverty, inequality and unemployment.