This, as the municipality has once again failed to appear before the Committee on Tuesday. The committee, led by Chairperson and ANC Chief Whip, Vusi Tshabalala, has expressed dissatisfaction with how this municipality continuously fails to honour the committee’s request to explain their financial woes and account for their state of affairs. 

The municipality, which is under fire for poor audit outcomes, poor service delivery, high irregular expenditure, and escalating debt to Bloem Water, last month made national headlines when residents embarked on service delivery protests that shut the city down. The municipality was last week set to account for its state of affairs before the committee but after a no-show by the Speaker, was given a chance to give a presentation today.

The protests ended in the tragic loss of the 14-year-old Liam Siegel who was shot dead by a security officer who was trying to scare off protestors from looting a warehouse. Opposition parties have since called on the municipality to get its house in order and address service delivery issues.

Meanwhile, Tshababala has ruled that the municipality will on Wednesday 23 June have to account before the house for which failure to do so will result in the Committee taking a “drastic action”.

The Committee led by Tshabalala continues to consider audit financial statements of other municipalities, including the Phumelela Local Municipality, which includes the infamous town of Vrede.

OFM News