Note to Broadcasters: Please find attached soundbites in English and Afrikaans by Madra De Bruin and in Setswana by Lebohang Nchoela
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in JB Marks rejects yet another unfunded adjustment budget that fuels financial mismanagement and deprives residents of essential services.
At the special council meeting on 28 February 2025, the DA voted against the budget and demanded accountability. While sewage overflows into homes, water leaks persist, potholes worsen, and power outages continue, the municipality turns a blind eye. The DA will not approve any budget that allows mismanagement to persist.
A damning report by the Auditor-General (AG) confirms that JB Marks remains stagnant, failing to implement basic financial controls and accountability measures. Shockingly, only 1 out of 14 AG recommendations was implemented.
A council meeting held on the 25th of January once again laid bare the financial recklessness of the JB Marks administration. In December, R23.6 million mysteriously vanished from the municipality’s main Nedbank account with no explanation. Meanwhile, JB Marks ended the 2023/24 financial year with a staggering R1.26 billion deficit, already consuming approximately 57.38 % of the 2024/25 budget. Its Eskom debt now exceeds R1 billion.
To approve this budget is to endorse financial ruin. Yet, the ANC/PA and EFF majority showed no hesitation in pushing it through, disregarding the dire consequences for residents.
A DA-led administration would never allow a single cent of public money to be spent without full accountability for past expenditures, proper financial controls, and strict oversight. That is what governance means. That is what the DA believes to be oversight and accountability towards residents.