Note to Broadcasters: Please find linked soundbites in English and Afrikaans by Cllr Jeanne Adriaanse.
The DA in the JB Marks Local Municipality is concerned with the Licensing Department’s inability to deliver basic driver licensing and vehicle registration services.
The department suffers from chronic understaffing and seems to be reluctant to fill these vacancies. Some employees also fail to report for duty on a regular basis. This mismanagement has resulted in a substantial backlog in processing
license applications.
Despite our repeated calls for urgent action, the municipality’s inability to address these deficiencies has led to a situation where residents are being deprived of their right to efficient administrative services with many residents opting to access licensing services in the Free State at Parys and Viljoenskroon. This further deprives the department of much needed revenue collection.
The lack of service delivery in the Licensing Department is emblematic of the broader governance issues that plague the current ANC/EFF/PA-led coalition in JB Marks. The failure to prioritize the filling of critical posts and enforcing disciplinary procedures against individuals who fail to report for work within essential public service departments, reflects a pattern of neglect and mismanagement that directly impacts the lives of JB Marks residents.
As a direct consequence of the staffing shortages and operational inefficiencies, the Licensing Department has been forced to partially close some of its services to allocate staff resources to others. This partial closure prevents residents from accessing the necessary documentation or facilitate transactions, which exacerbates the challenges faced by individuals and businesses that depend on these services.
The DA will, through our caucus leader in the North West Legislature, Freddy Sonakile MPL, write to the MEC for Community Safety and Transport Management, Sello Lehari, to immediately intervene in the mismanagement of the JB Marks Licensing Department to ensure that the necessary posts are filled and all services are made available to the community.