Local Government and Human Settlements MEC, Galaletsang Gaolaolwe, has raised concern over municipalities that still continue to receive negative audit outcomes.

Gaolaolwe revealed that to mitigate the situation, the departments of Finance, Economy and Enterprise Development and Local Government and Human Settlements, have developed plans to assist municipalities to improve their audit outcomes.

Tabling her 2018/19 Budget Speech last week, MEC Gaolaolwe explained that the department had been able to capacitate Municipal Public Accounts Committees (MPACs) to enable them to perform their oversight roles and responsibilities in their respective municipalities.

“We are pleased to indicate that, 77% of our MPACs are functional and the department will continue to support them and pay special attention to the remaining 33%, which are not functional. These include Maquassie Hills, Lekwa-Teemane, Mamusa, Tswaing and Ditsobotla local municipalities,” she told the Provincial Legislature.

Gaolaolwe added that both Finance, Economy and Enterprise Development and Local Government and Human Settlements deaprtments succeeded in putting in place a Section 32 programme, a procedure to follow in supporting council committees, MPACs and municipal administration to stop  unauthorised, irregular, fruitless and wasteful expenditures.

“To date, Bojanala Platinum District, Rustenburg, Madibeng, Ratlou and Kgetleng Rivier local municipalities have been assisted to put an end to unauthorised, irregular, fruitless and wasteful expenditures. During the current financial year, the programme will be rolled out to all municipalities to work towards achieving better audit outcomes,’’ she said.

Source: http://www.semphetenews.co.za 

Picture: Former North West Premier, Supra Mahumapelo

By REGINALD KANYANE

African National Congress (ANC) in Bokone Bophirima has welcomed the resignation of North West Premier, Supra Mahumapelo. Mahumapelo announced that he is embarking on an ‘early retirement’ during media briefing at Luthuli House in Johannesburg on Wednesday.

The official Twitter account of @MyANC_BokoneBophirima reads: “We are happy as the organisation that Mahumapelo has now followed a proper organisational process before announcing his resignation. As ANC in Bokone Bophirima, we thank Mahumapelo for the period he has served as the Premier of our province.”

The South African National Civic Organisation (SANCO) in the North West also shared the same sentiments.

SANCO provincial chairperson, Paul Sebegoe said: “Mahumapelo’s resignation is a step in the right direction that affords the ANC an opportunity to accelerate service delivery. We trust that it would be followed through with in depth investigations into allegations of corruption leveled against his administration.

“This will reclaim good governance that was seemingly compromised. We hope that systems that had created a condusive environment for corruption to thrive will be dismantled, while provincial departments and municipalities are strengthened by national intervention to address service delivery challenges.”

Sebegoe said they urge the communities to exercise calm and unfolding developments to purposefully take them forward as they reclaim and reposition the province for unity, shared prosperity, economic growth and development,” he said.

Sebegoe further said that the vigilance of communities has been stirred and their quest is for accountability and clean governance at all levels including municipalities all of which have according to the Auditor General’s 2016-2017 financial report failed to get a clean audit,” highlighted Sebegoe.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the North West said it noted much anticipated and delayed exit of disgraced Mahumapelo. DA Provincial leader, Joe McGluwa said this is a step in the right direction towards bringing order and stability to the province.

“The province has being besieged by violent protest action after years of ANC mismanagement and callous leadership. Mahumapelo’s “early retirement” does not shield him from accounting for the long list of corruption leveled against him.

“He represents only the tip of the ice-berg, therefore his exit will not miraculously fix the province’s deep problems of corruption, lack of service delivery and joblessness. The ANC is rotten to its core and over the past years. The ANC has put the interests of the party before that of the people of North West,” McGluwa said.

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