No indications of how muni’s money is spent
Mokopane's businessmen raised their concerns that the town will be run down until nothing of its former glory is left during the Integrated and Development Plan (IDP) and budget of the Mogalakwena Municipality last Wednesday.
MOKOPANE – Andy Goetsch, President of the Business Chamber said there is a vast amount of money in the Mokgalakwena Municipality IDP and budget but no indication how this money is spent.
“If this is not controlled, it is open for tender fraud. This is the residents’ money but they do not have control over it.”
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According to Goetsch, tender amounts are tripled. Residents must be able to look at the tenders and invoices issued to suppliers to avoid this, he said.
“If residents see that a tender amount does not justify the work to be done it should be investigated. If the municipality does not want to make these tenders and invoices public, then there is something wrong.”
Goetsch said at this stage there is no service delivery as the money is not controlled and there are no decent managers in the municipality.
“The reason that there is no money is not true, there is money but it’s not spent properly.”
Willie Madisha, a businessman of Mokopane, said he was concerned that the town will be run down until there is nothing left. Madisha attended a few IDP and budget speeches in the Waterberg region. “At all of these IDP’s we were given a proper IDP and budget and all the information was made public – where the money is coming from and where the money will be spend. In Mogalakwena Municipality’s IDP we do not know where the money will be coming from or where and how it will be spent. The residents do not have access to this information, and the question is why?”
Madisha’s recommendation to the Mogalakwena Municipality is that after the meeting, the administration should prepare a proper IDP according to legal criteria.
“An IDP report and budget should be credible, which means it should not increase or decrease. It should remain the same for that period. The budget should balance, there is no evidence in the current budget that it balances. The financial annual report must be included in the IDP report. I cannot remember when last I saw an annual report from this municipality. I don’t know when last the mayor and financial manager invited the public to the annual finance meeting and where they have the chance to comment on it? The residents have the right to see what the municipality receives on rates and taxes over the past financial year.”
According to Madisha a five-year IDP report must be accessible to the public.
“In Mogalakwena Municipality it doesn’t even exist, and this is a serious offence. The municipality’s assessment report must be included in the IDP report, so that the residents can see what was done and what is still outstanding in terms of projects and budgets.”
Madisha said after the final IDP/Budget was compiled the interested parties must be invited to have insight into the document and the opportunity to comment, “they are the eyes and ears of the municipality”.
redaksie.bosvelder@nmgroup.co.za
