Picture: The embattled Ditsobotla Local Municipality
By OBAKENG MAJE
The situation continues to worsen at the embattled Ditsobotla Local Municipality in Lichtenburg. This comes after the acting municipal manager, Mamorena Lethoko in a letter that is circulating on various social media platforms, informed the municipal employees that, their salaries for the month of May 2023 will be late due to the critical financial distress the municipality finds itself in.
“This internal communication serves the purpose to inform the workers of the critical financial situation the municipality is facing. We regret to inform you that, the municipality is unable to make payment of salaries for the month of May 2023 until further notice shall be issued on the date of payment.
“Workers are also notified that claims on overtime worked will be paid once the main salaries have been addressed. To that extent, workers are advised to make necessary arrangements with the creditors. Commitment is herewith made that, the management is addressing this matter and putting systems in place to correct the financial situation going forth,” Lethoko said in a letter.
Meanwhile, the Economic Freedom Fighters(EFF) in North West said it is disappointing to see the municipality collapsing right under the nose and watch of the ANC-led government. The EFF provincial secretary, Papiki Babuile said, this is happening because senior municipal employees are staunch allies of the ANC councillors and they teamed up in the ongoing rampant corruption, maladministration and nepotism in the municipality in question.
“The municipality in question has recorded a growing number of ghost employees. The current administration has not initiated any meaningful and/or full-blown investigation to that effect. Under these circumstances, the community bear the brunt of poverty and/or continue to live in absolute squalor with no basic services,” Babuile said.
He further said the municipal employees will go months without income, whilst those who teamed up to misappropriate funds are living lavishly. He added that, as the EFF, they have always warned against the flagrant disregard and gross remiss of the law, when dealing with appointments of senior employees of the municipality.
“We will dispatch our provincial labour desk to assist employees to lodge formal labour disputes with relevant forums. We will further initiate a full-blown investigation and open criminal cases against those implicated in the great collapse of Ditsobotla Local Municipality.
“We also note with grave dismay the revelations that, the Sheriff for the Lichtenburg Magistrate’s Court will be placing movable properties of Ditsobotla Local Municipality on auction to the highest bidder on 31 May 2023,” said Babuile.
The Guardian 