Polokwane Municipality writes off R1.3m in unused stock
Polokwane Municipality has written off R1.3 million in unused stock, including water spares and spot fine books, some dating back to 2018.
POLOKWANE – The Polokwane Municipal Council has written off service-delivery items worth more than R1.3 million after they remained unused for up to eight years.
The write-off was approved during a special council sitting at the council chambers last Wednesday, under the Inventory Fourth Quarter Stock Count Report for the 2025/26 financial year.
21 items listed as obsolete
According to a document seen by Polokwane Observer, 21 items were listed as obsolete, with most having been purchased in bulk in July 2018.
The three largest amounts were for water-related spares:
| Item | Quantity | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Washers for water cut-off meters | 2 596 | R472 108.56 |
| Ball valves | 1 642 | R394 080 |
| Washers | 1 100 | R188 650 |
The list also includes:
- 317 spot fine books worth R131 822.29
- 356 receipt books worth R42 677.32
Why the items are obsolete
The municipality’s water network has since shifted towards smart water meters, rendering the older washers and valves unsuitable for modern infrastructure projects.
The spot fine and receipt books have also become redundant as law enforcement and billing systems have moved to digital platforms.
How obsolete stock is disposed of
Previous municipal practice indicates that security documents such as receipt and spot fine books are inventoried by internal audit, cross-referenced by serial numbers and shredded or incinerated under supervision to prevent fraud.
In the past, plumbing items such as valves and washers were grouped as “sundry plumbing” and sent to municipal stores, where appointed auctioneers sold them to private contractors and scrap recyclers.
DA questions stock planning
While the matter was debated in council, DA councillor Jacques Joubert questioned the municipality’s stock planning.
“What worries me is the high amounts of some of the assets that we want to say are obsolete and write off: R131 000 for spot fine books, R42 000 for miscellaneous receipt books, R472 000 for washers,” Joubert said.
The motion was approved by a majority of councillors.
Overstocking vs shortages
After the sitting, Joubert said his concern was that while some items naturally become obsolete, others may have been overstocked and left unused while critical service-delivery items, such as traffic-light controller boxes and electrical meter boxes, run out.
He said this contributes to delays in new connections and faulty traffic lights remaining unrepaired for months.
Municipality yet to respond
Polokwane Observer sent municipal spokesperson Willy Mosoma questions seeking confirmation of the write-off, reasons why items bought in 2018 remained unused, details on how the stock will be disposed of, and measures to ensure critical service-delivery items remain adequately stocked.
His response will be published once received.
