Saldanha Bay mayor Andrè Truter has explained what happened to the funds. File Picture: Patrick Louw / Independent Newspapers
Saldanha Bay mayor André Truter has refuted claims that the municipality misused funds, saying the money was accounted for and went into service delivery.
The issue was raised during a special council meeting on Thursday. The municipality is accused of mismanagement of R2.5 million in public funds during the 2023/24 financial year.
National Coloured Congress councillor Yumnah Jackson raised the point that the Municipal Public Accounts Committees (MPAC) decided they were not happy with a report and they were not going to accept it as it was.
“The MPAC’s finding resolved that there was negligence in terms of officials, hence they did not want to sign off the report.
“If I understand correctly, legislatively, we should not have this adjustment annual report before us. It is not tabled alongside our annual report.”
GOOD Party Saldanha Bay councillor and West Coast Regional Organiser Thyrone William said they were outraged by the municipality’s “reckless” mismanagement of public funds.
“This appalling waste of resources is a direct insult to the disadvantaged communities who are continuously neglected and denied basic services.
“During the special council meeting, a Special Adjustment Budget Report was tabled. Despite opposition, including a request from the Municipal Public Accounts Committee chair for the report to be referred back to MPAC for investigation, the municipal manager forced the vote and it was passed by the DA-FF+ coalition majority.
“As GOOD, we call for a thorough investigation into this serious mismanagement of public funds and unauthorised expenditure.”
He demanded that the findings of the investigation be made public, with appropriate action taken to recover the funds.
Truter said the money was accounted for and went into service delivery.
“Nothing was misused, there is a 63-page document that explains it. It was only sent to MPAC for noting purposes and as a transparency procedure.
“It was service delivery-related expenses, over and above the budget. We set the budget every year but with the expanding community, we have raised from 111 000 to 164 000 citizens.
“Service delivery has become a huge challenge to give services to everybody. In the middle of the year, it is pushed up more by the influx of tourists.”
The ANC said the wastage of resources undermined the needs of the poor and working-class communities in Saldanha Bay who live in squalor where there is a housing backlog.
“Yet, there is this reckless mismanagement of funds and irregular, unauthorised expenditure. What is worse is that the DA-FF+ coalition continues to promote this recklessness and wants to stunt the municipality and the opposition from holding the executive accountable for this.
“If GOOD, FF+, Patriotic Alliance, NCC, Economic Freedom Fighters and the ANC come together, we can form a coalition in Saldanha and remove the DA.”
Cape Times
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