ORANGEVILLE – Political instability in the Metsimaholo Local Municipality has seen a delay in the approval of an adjustment budget vote for almost a month now. This was after the African National Congress (ANC) played a delaying tactic in giving the yes vote again.
In recent weeks, on June 5, the Mayor of this DA-led municipality tabled his State of the Municipality address in Orangeville community hall which ended in a deadlocked council sitting, ending up being moved to June 20.
What became the center stage then, was the controversial R5 million landfill construction, questioned by the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and the ANC.
This week, June 21, the EFF told the speaker how they have no confidence in Mayor Jeff Zwane and thus the rejection of the budget by their party.
As if this was not enough, the ANC remained on the landfill issue, still demanding the mayor to account for every single cent allocation for the project in question.
The continuation of the approval of the adjustment budget was once more moved to another date.
EFF’s Tibisi Motaung said “We want to be clear and not hypocritical to the council, we are concerned as the EFF by the statement audit outcomes of the Auditor General to our municipality. Because of the stagnant audit, we lack the trust to approve the budget for the mayor. The EFF reject the budget because we don’t have confidence in the mayor.”
ANC’s Fikile Mosokweni emphasized the need for accountancy on the landfill site before voting for a budget pass. “We don’t deny the landfill site, all we ask for is the breakdown. Response on what a certain amount is going to do. We don’t dispute the idea, just defend it, Mayor.”
“The ANC rejects the budget vote and suggests that the sitting be moved to June 27,” said Mosokweni
Speaker Lucas Fisher adjourned the meeting and approved a new date for the continuation of the sitting. “When you add all the numbers that are rejecting the budget today, it will be unnecessary to continue with the meeting. The meeting is adjourned and will continue on June 27,” he said.
