The extremely poor bi-annual budget report submitted to the council of the Emfuleni Local Municipality (Evaton, Sebokeng, Vaal Oewer, Vanderbijlpark, Vereeniging) is the direct consequence of the ANC's mismanagement and lack of political will to provide proper service delivery to residents.
In the report, the underperformance in certain key indicators is attributed to delays in supply processes.
This reportedly contributed to the failure to implement infrastructure and public works projects.
The failure to pay service providers also hampers service delivery.
A shortage of machinery, vehicles, materials and other resources is one of the main challenges that further hamper service delivery.
The underspending of funds will, in the coming year, result in cuts to provincial financial allocations.
The FF Plus expects that these allocations will be cut back by more than half of the current allocations.
The reason for it is that service providers and contractors are not being paid.
Contractors were forced to drastically reduce their production time and services as invoices take months to be paid.
In December, the Municipality's performance dropped significantly because Eskom seized the Municipality's moveable assets and froze its current bank account.
Approximately 50% of the Municipality's service delivery vehicles were attached in the process.
The Municipality, furthermore, has no workable plan for how it will pay Eskom's outstanding power bill of R6,2 billion and Rand Water's outstanding water bill of R1,2 billion.
Bulk electricity losses amount to 23% per month and bulk water losses to 70%.
Refuse removal plummeted by 20%. In some areas, refuse is only collected once every nine weeks.
The installation and replacement of water meters could not be financed.
The backlog with appointing building inspectors resulted in an increase in illegal structures.
And in the meantime, sewage still runs through Emfuleni's streets, schools and parks.
The poor budget report does not surprise the FF Plus.
The party warned the Municipality against these things on numerous occasions. Even visits by the Gauteng Premier, Panyaza Lesufi, could not get the Municipality back on the right track.
The only thing that can get the Municipality out of trouble is a new and competent government. The people of Emfuleni deserve better than the ANC.
