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The Masilonyana Local Municipality’s approval of an unfunded budget at the last minute, disregarding legislated processes and public participation, has raised serious concerns. The Democratic Alliance (DA) strongly objects to this budget and highlights multiple critical issues that demand immediate attention.

The absence of audited financial statements prevents proper oversight and evaluation of previous budget performance, leaving residents in the dark about whether goals were achieved. The persistently broken billing system and unresolved disputes have had a devastating effect on revenue collection. Despite intentions to increase debt collection, the lack of a functioning system raises doubts about its feasibility.

Furthermore, the absence of an approved General Valuation Roll makes it impossible to collect Property Tax, exacerbating the financial challenges faced by the municipality. The failure to take concrete steps towards increasing collection rates further compounds the issue.

The Democratic Alliance is deeply concerned about the ongoing litigations, the vacant positions of Director of Corporate Services, CFO, and Technical Director, and the lack of oversight in the Corporate Services Committee. These deficiencies jeopardize the budget's success and hinder effective financial management.

To address these issues, the DA demands immediate action to rectify the budget's shortcomings. We call for transparent and Audited Financial Statements, a functional billing system, the implementation of the principle that end users must pay, and the appointment of key positions within the municipality. We will closely monitor the progress and provide regular updates to the residents of Masilonyana because they deserve a credible and well-funded budget that prioritises their needs.

Issued by Marieta Visser - DA Councillor Masilonyana Local Municipality