The 2024/25 financial report by the Auditor-General (AG) on the Msukaligwa Local Municipality (Breyten, Chrissiesmeer, Davel, Ermelo, Lothair) paints a disturbing picture of persistent maladministration and incompetence.
The Municipality has received a qualified audit report for the third consecutive year – its status has remained unchanged since 2022.
To make matters worse, the same serious findings have been present for four years, without any corrective measures or new policy to prevent recurrence. The same financial and management failures are repeated year in and year out.
These key findings include:
• Water losses of 66%
• Electricity losses of 61%
• Failure to collect 72% of all municipal bills
• No improvement in performance information
• No action plan to promote economic growth
• No consequence management for misconduct
• Inadequate oversight of financial statements and no improvement in quality
These persistent failures point to a lack of political will, rather than a lack of knowledge. The administration repeats the same mistakes, but keeps expecting a different outcome.
After four years, Msukaligwa’s budget remains unfunded, despite repeated warnings from the Freedom Front Plus (VF Plus) that the current strategy to improve revenue is not working and is not resulting in any real revenue growth.
The Strategic Planning Committee, tasked with developing solutions, itself displays a disturbing level of incompetence. The enormous water and electricity losses are financially unsustainable, directly jeopardising service delivery, yet the Municipality fails to implement basic by-laws and control measures, despite repeated requests from the Freedom Front Plus.
The lack of consequence management and preventive policy confirms that there is no real political will to address the crisis.
The ANC-controlled Council, where ANC councillors dominate quorum, ignores constructive proposals from opposition parties. They do not use their majority power to find solutions, but to avoid accountability.
This style of governance is detrimental to all residents, businesses and the economic future of Msukaligwa. Empty rhetoric without meaningful action will not improve service delivery nor will it restore public confidence.
The Freedom Front Plus will not tolerate this level of maladministration, political unwillingness and disregard for residents. Accountability, competent governance and decisive reform are essential for the Municipality’s survival and advancement.
Msukaligwa deserves better than the ANC.
