It is quite interesting to see the political scene that is playing itself out in the region recently. It was of course expected that going to the elections next year, there will be changes in administration what with a municipality (Emfuleni) that was running at a loss. Change was indeed expected also taking note that during its regional executive committee elections earlier this year the ANC Sedibeng made changes.

Opposition political parties have been calling for Emfuleni Local Municipality to be placed under administration which they say will be the urgent intervention needed to save the ailing skeleton that is the municipality. I could not agree more as some members of the tripartite alliance have also been calling for heads to roll, proving that they too could see that the municipality is a ‘patient in ICU.’

Continued poor performance, lack of communication with the public and lack of service delivery has been the demise of many politicians, most of whom have been demoted from their ‘high horses’ and must surely not see the doors of municipal offices come next year.

The financial situation of the municipality has reportedly deteriorated to such an extent that service delivery has become almost impossible. Reports also reveal that there is a major backlog when it comes to the improvement and maintenance of infrastructure.There is apparently at the moment a financial backlog of R4.2 billion when it comes to the maintenance of road infrastructure. There is also a R1.6 billion storm water infrastructure backlog, a R723 million backlog for the maintenance of waste water treatment plants, a R1.1 billion sanitation backlog and in total, the municipality apparently needs R7.2 billion to eradicate the current infrastructure backlog and a further R10.7 billion over the next ten years.

Shooooo! The former administration had surely failed to manage and it is clear that urgent intervention was required. Hopefully the incoming administration will sort out this mess and make sure that the people that elected them receive the basic service delivery and that the financial muddle it finds itself in is resolved through employing competent and qualified people, hopefully!