The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Mpumalanga has written to CoGTA MEC, Busisiwe Shiba, asking her to conduct an investigation into millions of fruitless and wasteful expenditure which was incurred in the closure and rehabilitation of an existing waste disposal site in Belfast.
According to the 2019/2020 audit of Mpumalanga local municipalities, the Auditor-General (AG) noted that R4.7 million was incurred at this site in the Emakhazeni Local Municipality.
The AG further noted that “accounting officers did not monitor the spending and performance of contractors relating to the conditional grants received in order to derive the intended efficiencies and quality”. This means that project management units did not function as expected.
The DA finds it extremely concerning that the AG particularly noted the following deficiencies:
(i) Overclaiming on certain items on the payment certificate,
(ii) Items claimed in excess of the bills of quantities,
(iii) Quantities paid but not found on site,
(iv) Overpayments for fencing materials and installation.
Instances like the above are unacceptable as it takes away money from potential projects which would actually benefit the people in this municipality.
The DA has written to the MEC, asking her to conduct an investigation into the R4.7 million expenditure. We also call on her to ensure that local municipalities heed to recommendations made by the AG and to ensure strict monitoring and oversight of projects conducted in local municipalities.
The only real solution to stop these fruitless and wasteful expenditures is to vote for a government that has a good track record – like in the DA-run Western Cape. Only DA-governments work.