Govan Mbeki Municipality councillors in arrears: Political leaders have their say

According to the Councillors’ Code of Conduct, they must perform their duties in good faith and honesty, in a transparent manner, in the best interest of the municipality and without compromising the municipality’s credibility or integrity.

A councillor may also not be in arrears with municipal rates, taxes and service charges for longer than three months.

Ridge Times revealed the names of several councillors of Govan Mbeki Municipality and the amount each of them owed in the previous edition of September 2.

The newspaper referred to the municipality’s quarterly report of March which indicated the amount in arrears by councillors totalled almost R1 million.

This week, the newspaper asked political parties about their councillors who are in arrears on rates and service charges.

The African National Congress (ANC)’s Gert Sibande regional secretary, Lindi Masina Jele, said it is not an ANC matter if their councillors failed to pay their municipal accounts.

She said it is rather a municipal matter that needs to be dealt with by the council.

Jele said councillors know very well that they need to lead by example in paying for services and that it is the responsibility of all citizens to pay for services.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) councillor, James Masango, said his party believes that every councillor must be in good financial standing with the municipality because it is an ethical thing to do.

Masango said councilors who resumed office with a debt, must make arrangements with the municipality to pay off their debts within a fixed time frame.

He claims the biggest culprits are the ANC councilors who approve the increases on service delivery, rates and taxes every year, thus piling a bigger financial burden on residents.

Masango said the ANC councilors annually approve increases, so there is no excuse for them not to pay for services.

He said that electricity’s increases are regulated.

Masango believes the municipality must also get its billing system in order because many residents are frustrated by the inaccurate billing which is also a challenge for some councillors.

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) regional secretary, Wilson Chauke, said the non-payment of services by councillors is a matter between the municipality and that councillor. It is not a party issue.

The African Transformation Movement said their councillor, Lwandile Ziwele, doesn’t own any property in the Govan Mbeki Municipality jurisdiction. He is merely a tenant.

John Nkosi, ATM provincial secretary told the newspaper that their councillor is disciplined and will not put their organisation’s name in disrepute by not paying for services.

Nkosi asked how the municipality can bill a tenant and not the stand owner.

“We know that our councillor is witch-hunted by some leaders in the municipality because of questioning every decision and correcting the wrongs.

“The ATM will not stop pushing for accountability,” said Nkosi.
Donald Green, acting communications manager at Govan Mbeki Municipality, said letters of demand were handed out to the councillors who are in arrears on their municipal accounts and they are coming forward to make arrangements to pay.

Green said due to the Protection of Personal Information Act, 4 of 2013 (POPIA) that came into effect on 1 July 2021, the municipality is managing the personal information of its customers in compliance with the requirements of the Act.

He said the information (statements) cannot be provided without the owner’s verification (proof of identity document).

Ridge Times readers also had a lot to say on Facebook this week.
Nola du Preez Scoular wrote: “legislation dictates that a councillor may not be in arrears with their municipal account for more than three months or they must be removed as a councillor. They must apply the law.”
PW van Zyl, a former financial guru at the municipality, wrote: “The municipal manager, by law, must inform them that they are no longer councillors!”
Musa Mthombeni wrote: “So, what is the role of the chief whip? Is it not to make sure the members are in the straight and narrow, to straighten the members to march in line? This has dealt a big blow in your efforts of revenue collection, GMM.”
Johannes November wrote: “We elected some on the bases of making a lot of noise in our community meetings, meanwhile they know that they are doing something against the law.