Programmes with names that sound good and statements about progress and success will do nothing to cover up the truth that South African municipalities are in a pervasive crisis. Municipalities find themselves in the worst state in recent history and most of them are not sustainable.
Over the last few years, going back to basics with service delivery was the refrain. In the process, the various departments spent a lot of money on programmes to support the initiative.
There is, however, very little to no coordination between these support programmes. To date, they bear no fruit and it is disturbing to hear that the government is proud of the progress that was supposedly made in this regard. It almost seems as if the Minister (Zweli Mkhize) and the chairperson of the Portfolio Committee (Richard Mdakane) have never been to municipalities in rural areas where the reality of the decline is plain for all to see.
Over the last few years, the Department’s solution to the problem was to let struggling municipalities merge with municipalities that are faring better. That does not help at all. It only serves to make municipalities larger and poorer.
Recent research conducted by the Financial and Fiscal Commission found that such amalgamation puts a lot of pressure on both municipalities and that the improvement in service delivery that it brings about is not even worth mentioning.
Municipalities are simply raising their tariffs in an attempt to improve their financial situation. The negative consequence of this is that there are fewer and fewer paying consumers. People are no longer willing to pay if there is no service delivery. The goose laying the golden eggs will stop at some point.
Support programmes are failing and local government will have to be rethought. Despite the best legislation, control mechanisms are failing due to incompetent officials, a lack of political will and widespread corruption.
The government must stop giving itself a pat on the back for supposedly making progress in this regard.
The reality is that on a daily basis there are protests taking place across the country due to poor service delivery. The money that is lost through corruption and theft in local government is far more than what is lost as a result of state capture. The country’s resources will not last forever if things keep going the way they are at present.
Contact numbers: 082 674 6670 / 065 801 7216
