DEAR Editor,-
Another gem from the pen of our esteemed ‘municipal mouthpiece’, I see. What is this lot transforming this time? The electrical power supply? Especially when one reads of losses of 6.01 megawatts amounting to a material loss of R3.76 million?
That is a lot of electricity not being paid for, same with water through wastage and non-payment. I don’t think anybody gives a hoot about the latest Auditor-General’s report, whether it is qualified, unqualified, adverse or anything else.
What matters is why these municipalities are in such a state that it is now necessary to go through a process of ‘transformation’ to get the books right and come out with a clean slate. What has been going on these last 20 years that we have to now be subjected to a lecture of the mysteries of auditing by some petty municipal official trying to hoodwink us into believing that all will be well next year or whenever.
We are not idiots and do not like being treated as such. Are these municipalities aware they are dealing with public money? Yes, our money. I sometimes wonder, when one hears about the awarding of contracts without proper procedures being followed and procurement of goods and services not complying with the relevant regulations etc, etc.
This lot have gone beyond the pale and it is high time we brought in ‘watchdog committees’ to keep an eye on the activities of our municipalities, because it is obvious the opposition councillors are not coping too well.
D McFARLAND
