The FF Plus will not support the 2020/21 budget of the Ekurhuleni Metro Council (Brakpan, Benoni, Boksburg, Springs, Kempton Park, Nigel, Alberton, Germiston, Edenvale/Bedfordview, Midstream and informal settlements) if it is not sustainable and in the best interest of all residents.
The Mayor of Ekurhuleni, Mzwandile Masina, has acknowledged that the Metro is facing a severe financial crisis due to the detrimental effect that Covid-19 has had on its economy. He also referred to the low payment levels that also have a negative influence on the Metro's revenue.
Poor financial management decisions and corruption were already rampant in the Metro before the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic and, thus, the Metro's current financial crisis cannot be blamed solely on Covid-19.
The Gauteng province will have to intervene and offer solutions, like obtaining aid from the national disaster relief fund for which the Ekurhuleni Metro Council has already applied. Measures must be put in place to ensure that the extra funds do not disappear into the bottomless pit of corruption and mismanagement.
The final budget will only be tabled in the council on the 25th of June and the FF Plus will make sure that the decisions that are made with regard to the budget are fair and specifically take into account the current economic slump that the province is experiencing due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The municipal budget has a direct impact on every resident and, therefore, it is not a matter to be taken lightly, especially in these times when residents are faced with uncertainty.
The FF Plus will put pressure on the Metro Council to prevent its own financial crisis from becoming an additional burden on taxpayers who are already struggling to make ends meet.
Contact details: 072 217 1951
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