DA calls for urgent Provincial Treasury intervention in Moretele Local Municipality to avert financial collapse

Issued by Wolfgang Wallhorn – DA Spokesperson on Finance in the North West Provincial Legislature
17 Apr 2025 in Press Statements

Note to Broadcasters: Please find attached soundbites in English and Afrikaans by Wolfgang Wallhorn MPL

The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the North West urgently calls on the Provincial Treasury to intervene in the Moretele Local Municipality, where financial mismanagement and governance failures threaten total collapse.

An oversight visit on 14 April 2025 revealed that R2.4 million was wasted on luxury mayor vehicles while residents suffer service delivery failures. Mathibestad Municipal Chambers Project, initially budgeted at R50 million, now costs approximately R100 million, yet remains unfinished. Additionally, 15 water tankers were deployed across 3 wards, exposing the municipality’s failure to maintain permanent water infrastructure.

These findings confirm the Auditor-General’s warning of systemic mismanagement and a culture of impunity among management and officials.

The DA advises and requests the following action steps from Provincial Treasury:

  1. Freeze non-essential spending and audit all existing contracts.
  2. Enforce a strict debt collection system, including prepaid meters for defaulters and a possible amnesty period.
  3. Deploy a Provincial Treasury Oversight Team to restore financial control.

Without urgent intervention, Moretele’s collapse will devastate residents, while having serious political ramifications. The DA will hold authorities accountable and fight for good governance.