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The DA is questioning Dawid Kruiper municipality’s decision to make use of a contracting service to prune trees while its chainsaw has remained broken for months.

While the municipality should be in a position to cut trees, it instead paid a contractor, on at least two occasions, to perform this task. The contractor was also granted use of the municipal Cherry Picker as well as a tractor and trailer, to drive away branches. Municipal staff, who normally perform tree cutting and removal services, sat around doing nothing while the contractor performed their duties at an additional cost to the municipality.

It would have made more financial and operational sense for Dawid Kruiper to buy an additional chainsaw to permanently equip the municipality to address the backlog of branches that require trimming in and around Upington, as opposed to using a contractor. This again points to the utter disregard by this municipality for stewarding public funds.

The DA will request that the matter is referred to the Municipal Public Accounts Committee (MPAC) for investigation. We want to know why the chainsaw has apparently been gathering cobwebs in a workshop for months, who is responsible for making the decision to utilise a contractor instead of repairing or replacing the broken chainsaw, what the cost factor is to the municipality, as well as whether there is any conflict of interest between officials and the contractor.

Dawid Kruiper municipality has a responsibility to ensure value for taxpayers’ money and that its employees provide quality services to all residents.

Issued by Henk Opperman, Cllr - Dawid Kruiper Municipality