Emalahleni is in total chaos, but the mayor still wants a new set of wheels.
Eskom is knocking and demanding their R1-billion, driving is hazardous with all the potholes that suddenly emerged, the bridge at Second Street is still not fixed, streetlights are not working, residents are receiving enormous municipal accounts, the list is endless.
With all these problems at hand, the Executive Mayor, Cllr Lindiwe Ntshalinsthali’s luxury SUV still found its way into the budget, despite assurances that the purchase had been postponed and the tender withdrawn.
During the council meeting on February 23 Cllr Naritha Naidu, Democratic Alliance Caucus Leader in Emalahleni Local Council picked up that the purchase of the mayor’s vehicle falls under two vote numbers from two different sources of income that when combined form the R1.5 million that they claim was saved from the Municipal Infrastructure Grant (MIG) projects that were reduced.
The MIG is a grant which is ring fence for infrastructure development only and is reported to national and provincial treasury weekly.
Two votes numbers were created of R1 300 000 (vote no 1005/05/6/02/0333) which was a savings funded from loans and R200 000 (vote no 1005/05/6/03/0302) was a saving funded from municipal own funds.
Executive Mayor, Cllr Lindiwe Ntshalinsthali.
Municipal Manager Mr Theo van Vuuren explained that during the approval of the roll-over adjustment budget in September 2016, savings were identified from some projects to fund the budget for the mayor’s car which amounted to R1 500 000.
“An adjustment budget was prepared for tabling for February and it was subsequently tabled in the municipal council on February 23. The adjustment budget consisted of the capital and operational budget.
Included in the capital budget was the budget of R1 500 000 for the mayor’s car. No adjustment was made on the mayor’s car budget and has been kept the same. An instruction was issued by the mayor to put on hold the procurement of the car, until the cash flow of the municipality improves,” he said.
Naidu fired one question after the other and amongst others asked,
“As the accounting officer how is it that an important item like the adjustment budget is not checked by Van Vuuren himself to pick up such errors and rectify it before it is served in council and a resolution is taken?”
“Note that the budget is prepared by the budget manager and the chief financial officer (CFO) is accountable for it. The accounting officer looks at the overall budget and practically can not check every detail, neither is expected to do so. For that appointed staff will advise. A budget is not the responsibility of the accounting officer to approve, that responsibility is with the executive mayor and council. The accounting officer and the CFO are responsible to execute the budget as approved and to advise on it during compilation,” Van Vuuren defended himself.
Residents are furious and voiced their anger on social media. A golden thread can be seen throughout all the comments. All the readers that responded are of the opinion that the car is not priority now.
“What a damn cheek, that car will go up in flames Witbank people have had enough,” said local resident Joey Abbott as she also voiced her opinion amongst others.
Cllr Ntshalintshali’s car became headlines last year when the DA demanded that Van Vuuren in his capacity as accounting officer of the municipality is removed. The DA took more steps and laid fraud and corruption charges against Van Vuuren in October 2016 to stop the purchase of this car with money meant for service delivery.
Cllr Ntshalintshali said the car will not be bought in this financial year.
If required it will be budgeted for the 2017/2018 budget.
ALSO READ:
https://www.citizen.co.za/witbank-news/79949/mr-fix-it-explains-where-funds-for-mayors-new-wheels-come-from/
https://www.citizen.co.za/witbank-news/79111/mayors-plans-to-buy-new-car-not-in-reverse-gear/
