It is shocking to see how much money government departments owe the Polokwane Local Municipality (Pietersburg).
That is apart from the fact that businesses and residents also owe the Municipality large amounts of money in overdue service accounts.
At the end of January 2023, government departments' debt amounted to approximately R271 million.
The provincial Department of Rural Development and Land Reform is one of the biggest culprits with an overdue account of nearly R161 million.
Some of the other departments owing large amounts include:
• Health – R5,790 million
• Economic Development Agency – R14,695 million
• Public Works, Roads and Infrastructure – R75,122 million
It is no secret that Polokwane is struggling to keep its head above water and it is unacceptable that government departments are not doing their part by loyally paying their accounts.
It only serves to exacerbate the Municipality's decline.
Steps to suspend the services of guilty departments are apparently in the pipeline, but whether the ANC-controlled Municipality possesses the political will to do so remains to be seen.
These departments' municipal debt should not have been left to grow to such astronomical amounts in the first place.
Polokwane deserves better than the ANC.
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