Note to Editors: Please find English and Afrikaans soundbites by Ald Cilliers Brink here and here
I have written to the Minister of Finance, Enoch Godongwana to ask that national government withhold money to the Gauteng Provincial Government to the extent that the province is not paying its debt to municipalities.
If ordinary people are expected to pay their municipal bills, or face cut-off, then surely government departments should do the same.
Recently the Tshwane Metro took credit action against the provincial government at front line service delivery sites, including the Weskoppies Psychiatric Hospital.
It is good that municipalities take credit action, but if this is done at front-line service delivery sites, instead of administrative offices, ordinary people suffer. But unlike National Government, many Gauteng departments have their offices in Johannesburg instead of Pretoria. This leaves the Tshwane Metro with few options.
It is a well-established principle that equitable share can be withheld to delinquent municipalities that do not pay their municipal bills. The same should apply to delinquent provinces.
Gauteng under premier Panyaza Lesufi has become a basket case. Ordinary people should not have to suffer for it.