RESIDENTS of Sekhukhune share their drinking water with animals and have no access to roads or electricity, and yet the Sekhukhune District Municipality returned R210 million to the national treasury after failing to spend it.
The municipality had requested a rollover of the amount for 2012/13, but it was doubtful that this request would be granted.
DA councillor, Lethabile Kgwedi, said citizens continued to share their drinking water with animals. “This is notwithstanding the fact that this municipality was allocated R183 million as part of the municipal infrastructure grant (MIG) aimed at water and roads projects.
“Other projects were also neglected and some R25 million went unspent due to poor planning at the water reticulation projects in Ga Masemola, Ga Phaahla, Lackau and Mabocha as well as the Buffelskloof relocation programme.The R25 million was allocated by the department of water affairs for refurbishment of water-related projects,” he said.
According to Kgwedi, this followed a similar failure in 2011/12, when the municipality did not spend R148 million of its MIG budget and it was returned to the national treasury.
“It is clear that the section 57 managers, including the municipal manager, chief financial officer, and director of infrastructure and water services do not have the capacity to manage crucial service delivery projects. They must be held accountable for not providing the services to the citizens because it is their mandate,” he said.
Municipal spokesperson, Willy Mosoma, asked CV to submit its questions in writing, which was done three weeks ago. By the time of going to print no response had been received. Mosoma’s cell phone remains on voice mail.
