The African National Congress (ANC) in KwaZulu-Natal has accused several municipalities of fruitless and wasteful expenditure during a press briefing on Tuesday, 28 March 2023.
The accusations were made following a two-day Provincial Executive Committee (PEC) meeting, where a report from PwC on the state of municipalities was presented.
ANC Provincial Secretary Bheki Mtolo stated that “we have resolved that the ANC government must act where we identify the collapse of good governance in some municipalities. It is, however, true that our interventions have been rather too late in some instances.”
To address the issue, the ANC has mandated the Treasury and Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) to conduct an assessment of the status of all 54 municipalities. The party also plans to work with the Auditor General’s office to support the municipalities and improve municipal audit outcomes.
The ANC also plans to develop a turn-around strategy for provincial government and municipalities. The PEC has mandated the ANC government to intervene and take away certain powers from municipalities where transgressions have occurred or where criminal investigations have taken place and those suspected of wrongdoing have been charged.
Furthermore, the IFP-led municipalities have been accused of high levels of irregular, fruitless and wasteful expenditure, with ANC spokesperson Moloi declaring that “all are led by the corrupt IFP.”
In response, the IFP has called on the ANC to provide evidence of corruption and to look at the municipalities run by their own party before making such accusations. “If the ANC has proof of the IFP being corrupt, they should go to the SAPS,” further said IFP KwaZulu-Natal chairperson Thami Ntuli.
He additionally pointed out that before the ANC used the word corrupt, they should rather wait until investigations were conducted and there was actual evidence.
“Also, while there is room for improvement in certain municipalities, the ANC should look at the municipalities run by their party before making accusations against others,” declared Ntuli.
Speaking with a few KZN residents, the ANC’s move to mandate an assessment of local municipalities and their claims has been met with mixed reactions. Some believe it is a proactive step to address governance issues, while others argue that the ANC should focus on its own municipalities and the years of corruption before accusing others.
With all of this swirling around in your head, what is your take on the above? Be sure to share your thoughts on all of this in the comment section below?
The ANC must rather go and sweep in front of their own door!!
IFP hasnt done much for Newcastle, more potholes forming, no water for days, infrastructure failing badly.
Local businesses shutting down, yet they not even worried.
ANC was still willing to work with local business.
It is hilarious that the ANC can detect ‘corruption’ and fruitless expenditure in other parties municipalities and not in their own thousands of municipalities. It is like the ANC having an ‘Integrity commission’. What do they know about integrity. It is only a dodge of due legal process.
What a joke the anc must clean up their own mess first before scratching in other pies. Yes the if is not doing much for Newcastle but there are other anc run towns that ate worse off I have been out of the country for a year driving back from the airport was scary to say the least the roads are in shocking conditions Newcastle shocked me what is going to be done about it I suppose nothing