Critics denounce Endumeni draft budget as ‘a nightmare’

Reaction is continuing to pour into the proposed Endumeni draft budget wherein an 18,49% increase in the electricity tariff is mooted.

Other increases include a 5% hike in refusal removal charges while Mayor Siyabonga Ndlovu has ‘predicted a 5% decrease in rates following the completion of the new rates valuation roll.

Salaries will gobble up about 35,6% of the R443-million budget.

The local ANC has rejected the proposed draft, calling it ‘unfunded as was the previous budget’ and that it fails to address ‘pertinent issues related to revenue enhancement’.

Sdu Mdluli, ANC spokesperson, told the Courier that ‘Endumeni municipality is in danger of collapsing which can be attributed to a number of significant abnormalities that are in flagrant violation of good governance and standards’.

“The financial realities will remain a nightmare as long as the IFP/DA coalition continues to purposefully ignore these realities. There is no desire to resolve the financial difficulties caused by the Eskom debt and lack of financial ethics.

“We again call for the establishment of an adhoc committee to work on revenue enhancement. To date, no committee has been put in place and no effort done to look at revenue collection to address the financial woes.”

Mdluli blamed these woes on the Eskom debt (said to be around R100-million), a declining revenue base and ‘excessive expenditure on none essentials’.

“Soon we won’t be able to meet our monthly commitments, pay our creditors and even unable to pay employees’ salaries.  The Government grants makes up only 30% if the annual budget – we are expected to collect the balance of 70% to fund the rest of the budget.”

He said the Municipality has no plan in place to increase revenue collection and the current ‘coalition Council has been found wanting’.

“We need to create a budget funding plan that speaks to targets that are reasonable and deal with maladministration and irregularities.  Worse, the recent IDP/budget road shows were a joke with many in the community deprived of an opportunity to interact with the Mayor and management but it appears as if coalition leaders are not prepared to account before the electorate.”

Lloyd Kgothshane felt that the R500 000 ward budget is not enough for the seven wards, especially ‘because there are many bereaved community members who require financial support from the municipality. ‘

Qiniso Dlamini remarked that it is ‘surprising that so much money goes towards hired services (R31 20001 597) including security companies that are meant to be on patrol on municipal properties. He also mentioned that the sports court at the park and the stadium in Sithembile had both been vandalised and that the community had not received any input about the renovation of these facilities, which were supposed to be guarded by security officers.

“How can the municipality operate on an ‘unfunded ‘budget as stipulated by the municipal manager? Is that even legal, what is the whole purpose of attending this drafted budget meeting if in the end we will be told that most of last year’s budget was unfunded? This is a waste of our time”, said a resident who preferred not to be named.

A businessman and property owner who preferred not to be named told the Courier that his property, which was valued at around R450 000, has ‘suddenly been revalued at R1,2-million’.

All properties were revalued some months ago by an out-of-town company.

The businessman said he would be putting in an objection as ‘will many others’.

Objections to the new property valuations close soon.