This as these municipalities and entities will tomorrow, as per the legislative requirements, be forced to submit their Annual Financial Statements or records. They need to account for the funds that have been received from the national government. The provincial Treasury Department spokesperson, Kesalopa Gill, says these submissions must fairly present the state of affairs of the municipality or entity. Gill says the municipalities’ and their entities’ performance budget, management of revenue, expenditure, assets, and liabilities, amongst others, will be reviewed by the AG.

She adds that they will also have to account for business activities, financial results, and their financial position as at the end of the financial year. Meanwhile, the Select Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) has raised its concerns over what they label as the level of lawlessness in municipalities in the province after the collapse of service delivery in the province. The Chairperson of the committee, China Dodovu, said this after the committee visited various local municipalities in the province as part of the obligation placed on the National Council of Provinces following a decision by the provincial executive to place municipalities under Section 139 (1) (b) of the Constitution.

He adds that the committee’s view is that while there are clear signs of the total collapse of service delivery in various municipalities, the acts of lawlessness perpetrated by some among the communities, undermine genuine service delivery concerns. “In the Naledi, Tswaing and Ratlou Local Municipalities, the committee was informed that armed members of the community threatened councillors, stormed the office of the appointed administrator, dumped refuse within the municipal building, burnt and vandalised infrastructure, attacked employees and committed many other unpleasant actions. We urge our communities to find alternative ways of addressing their concerns, such as approaching provincial and national government and legislatures to intervene,” Dodovu adds.

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