The DA in Bushbuckridge will write to the Municipal Manager, Jasper Ngobeni, to urgently address the infrastructure backlogs across the municipality. For years, residents of Bushbuckridge have been subjected to poor roads, faulty water pipelines and electricity failures.
The condition of roads in the municipality is alarming. Potholes and fading road markings have become a serious issue, posing risks to the safety of residents and road users.
The lack of clear and visible road markings further exacerbates the danger, especially during nighttime and adverse weather conditions.
On the other hand, the municipality has implemented a policy of water rationing which is affecting residents in certain villages. Previously, we highlighted that there are still no dedicated reservoirs for communities in Violet Bank and Shatale.
Despite the availability of grants, the municipality has failed to allocate sufficient resources to address these critical problems.
In the first quarter of the 2024/2025 financial year, the municipality reported a total revenue of over R1 billion, which accounts for 49% of the final budget. Key revenue sources included property rates, service charges, and transfers/subsidies.
However, expenditure on grants has been significantly below budgeted levels. Operational grants were utilised at only 32.36%, while capital grants were at a dismal 15.35%.
This underperformance raises serious questions about the municipality’s ability to effectively manage its resources and deliver essential services.
Therefore, it is important for the municipality to start improving its expenditure on grants to ensure that allocated funds are effectively utilised for the benefit of the community. The DA will continue to monitor the situation closely and hold the municipality accountable for its service delivery failures.