Picture: The embattled Greater Taung Local (GTLM) Municipality mayor, Tumisang Gaoraelwe who is missing in action/Facebook

By OBAKENG MAJE

The embattled Greater Taung Local Municipality (GTLM) has been described as ‘leaderless’ by the chairperson of Standing Committee Public Accounts (SCOPA) in North West Job Dliso. This comes after the municipal speaker, Grace Moipolai, mayor, Tumisang Gaoraelwe, Chief Financial Officer and Director of Cooperate Services, Dikagisho Mokoma failed to appear before the SCOPA.

The SCOPA had a public hearing with the embattled municipality on the Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA) over the 2019/20 audit reports and to seek clarity from responses to questions emanating from the Auditor General’s reports.

The AG report painted a grim picture of misuse of funds and unauthorised expenditure incurred by the municipality. The AG also alleged that, the municipality is running the risk of depleting its existing cash resources due to very low consumer recovery (little money coming in) and having to pay creditors.

“There is unauthorised expenditure closing balance amounts to R214m with R15m incurred in 2021/22. The previous year’s unauthorised expenditure was not investigated as required by legislation. Unauthorised expenditure incurred was due to overspending of the budget.

“This is due to inadequate budget and financial management controls to ensure the spending is within the budget guidelines. Continuing on this trend is likely to negatively affect the funds allocated to service deliver items,” said AG.

The AG highlighted that the municipality has challenges in delivering basic services to expectations too. The AG report said the municipality did not include indicators that speak to basic services such as water, sanitation, and electricity provision for all consumers of Taung (indicators included only focused on indigent households).

“We applaud the municipality for improving the audit outcome. However, we remain concerned about the sustainability of the improvement, as the finance unit still lacks the requisite skills to effect the daily and monthly financial management disciplines, such as reconciliations and regular reporting,” AG said.

AG further said even though the municipal infrastructure plays a key role in supporting service delivery, currently the municipality only spends R23 million on assets amounting to R762 million and that is not adequate to ensure these assets remain in good condition.

AG added that, the municipal manager must review the three annual budget before tabling to ensure it provides at least 8% of the value of Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) as a repairs and maintenance budget.

“The mayor must review the SDBIP before tabling to ensure there are indicators and targets included for basic services, including water, sanitation and electricity.

“There are projects that were delayed such as Mokasa II due to heavy rainfalls and changing of the location, which was originally allocated to construct the community hall by the Ward Councillor and Tribal Council,” said AG.

Other projects that are incomplete are Loselong project that was delayed due to late appointment of the contractor by the Supply Chain Management (SCM) unit leading to a delay in receiving approval from geo-science for the dolomite studies.

“There are other projects such as Gasebuso that were delayed by heavy rainfalls and supply of roof sheets. Pudimoe Sport facility upgrade project not completed due to heavy rainfalls and budget cuts. Another incomplete project is Manthe sport facility due to poor cash flow problems of the contractor and heavy rainfalls leading to delays in delivering material,” said AG.

AG said incomplete projects include Rietfontein not completed due to poor cash flow problems of the contractor and heavy rainfalls leading to delays in delivering material, Mogopela B project not completed due to heavy rainfalls and community unrest.

“Community unrest resulting from complaints that no local community members were employed on the project.The paved road constructed in Pudimoe project was not completed and delayed due to yellow fleet breakdowns experienced during the year.

“Indigent households provided with basic services (i.e. basic water, electricity, refuse removal and sanitation). The municipality achieved 78% of the planned indicators during the 21/22 financial year. This is in addition to not having KPI’s for water, sanitation and electricity,” AG said.

Another challenge raised by the AG was a poor response to community complaints resulted in an increase in protests by the community, which at times result in the vandalism of the service delivery infrastructure.

Meanwhile, Dliso sent the municipality packing and requested it to respond to all questions raised in a detailed form.