Only DA led municipalities submit funded budgets in Gauteng for 2019/2020

Issued by Adriana Randall MPL – DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Finance and e-Government
11 Sep 2019 in Press Statements

Only the DA-led municipalities have submitted funded budgets in Gauteng for the 2019/2020 financial year.

This was revealed in the Gauteng Provincial Treasury’s (GPT) first quarter report for the 2019/2020 financial year.

Eight delegated municipalities were asked to present their budgets to the GPT of which seven presented unfunded budgets.

The seven municipalities who have not presented a funded budget are:

  • Emfuleni Local Municipality
  • Lesedi Local Municipality
  • Rand West Local Municipality
  • Sedibeng District Municipality
  • West Rand District Municipality
  • Mogale City Local Municipality

According to the quarterly report the seven municipalities have been asked to submit a turnaround strategy to ensure that their budgets get funded over the medium to long term period and be tabled in their respective councils.

Some of these municipalities like West Rand District Municipality has been struggling to provide services to its residents due to the funds that were illegally invested in VBS.

Furthermore, earlier this year the municipality was unable to pay senior officials their salaries.

While in Emfuleni a draft forensic report into corruption at the municipality indicates that there was at least R1 billion worth of looting by officials, which also contributes to the municipality not being able to present a funded budget.

The fact that DA-governed Midvaal Municipality, City of Joburg and City of Tshwane were able to present funded budgets shows that where the DA governs, we are committed to ensuring that the people’s money is not wasted and that service delivery is put first.

The DA will be closely monitoring the implementation of the turnaround strategies put in place once approved by the Gauteng Provincial Treasury.