Ramaphosa made the remarks while delivering closing comments after a week-long oversight programme by members of the National Council of Provinces (NCOP), focused on service delivery and participatory democracy in the City of Matlosana.

The outreach programme, which began on Tuesday under the theme Celebrating 30 Years of the Constitution: Deepening Participatory Democracy for Service Delivery, placed municipalities under intense scrutiny amid growing concerns over deteriorating infrastructure and governance failures.

During engagements with residents this week, one community member broke down in tears while addressing NCOP delegates, detailing the dire conditions her family has endured for six months due to sewage flooding their yard. She said despite repeatedly seeking assistance, officials from Matlosana municipality ignored her pleas for help.

The woman explained her family had been forced to boil Sta-Soft daily in an attempt to manage the unbearable stench, while living with constant fears over health risks. Following her testimony, a team was immediately dispatched to assist the family.

Addressing officials and residents in Stilfontein on Friday (15/5), Ramaphosa described such incidents as inhumane and unacceptable, sharply criticising officials who fail to carry out their duties. He stressed South Africans want municipalities focused on basic services instead of political infighting.

Money is not spent

“At times when people fight over tenders, you will find that the national government allocated money, but in the end, the money is not spent, and it is taken back because people are fighting over a tender. That must come to an end,” he said.

“There must be more transparency. We also must make sure opportunities are fairly distributed, not to people with political connections but to people who have capabilities, who know how to do things, so that we can have a well-run government. We must declare days of patronage and factional politics in local government over.”

Ramaphosa said factional battles within municipalities continue to make South Africans suffer, adding that the era of politically connected individuals colluding with corrupt businesspeople to loot municipalities is coming to an end.

In some municipalities, businesspeople effectively controlled council processes, even attending council meetings to monitor how councillors voted when municipal equitable share allocations were discussed, he added.

The president also raised concerns about so-called water tanker mafias, accusing certain individuals of deliberately sabotaging water infrastructure for financial gain.

“There are those who would deliberately cut off pipes to disrupt normal water reticulation to open opportunities for water tanker trucks, where some officials would benefit. Those days are over.”

Government is determined to rebuild capable municipalities that prioritise service delivery, transparency and accountability, particularly as communities across the country continue to face water shortages, sewage spills and collapsing infrastructure, said Ramaphosa.

OFM News/Kekeletso Mosebetsi dg

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