Note to Broadcasters: Please find attached soundbites in English and Afrikaans by Johannes Le Grange
During a recent council meeting, the Executive Mayor, Fekele Mahlope, once again tabled the 2025/2026 municipal budget, and as expected, it is another unfunded budget.
Despite being hailed as a “new beginning” under the new mayor, the budget reflects the same old failures. It is unfunded by over a billion rand, with no plan to reduce the municipality’s outstanding debt of nearly R11 billion. No steps have been taken to address the backlog in water and electricity losses, both nearing R400 million.
Instead of cutting waste, the ANC has pushed through contracted services up to R450 million to seemingly cover kickbacks for selective cadres rather than delivering services. The municipal fleet is in a state of collapse, with only 130 of the 600 vehicles operational.
The so-called financial recovery plan of the last 5 years has achieved nothing, as the Auditor General indicates a financial loss of over R1 billion. Yet no one has been held accountable.
The ANC in Matlosana is on a road to nowhere, and not even the Provincial Executive Rescue team has failed to reverse the decline.
Only a strong DA can clean up this mess and deliver a vibrant city offering services to the people.