ANC councillors from all 45 Eastern Cape municipalities have been summoned to a meeting by the provincial leadership where they will be read the riot act over their dismal audits.
Not a single Eastern Cape municipality received a clean audit for 2011-12 and infighting within councils was highlighted as a leading cause by Auditor-General Terence Nombembe. He said municipalities had regressed from 2010-2011.
This is despite the government having set a target of 2014 to have clean audits for all state entities.
The Dispatch earlier this month reported that municipalities blew R5.1-billion in unauthorised, irregular and wasteful expenditure in the 2011-2012 financial year – more than double the previous year.
Nombembe told premier Noxolo Kiviet that councillors who lacked the will or skill to manage state funds were bringing local government down in the Eastern Cape .
ANC provincial secretary Oscar Mabuyane said the meeting was scheduled for Monday April 29, and all 1084 ANC councillors will be addressed in the presence of the entire provincial executive (PEC) and regional leaders .
“Our main concern is poor audit outcomes. We want to tell the councillors in no uncertain terms that their continued interference with administrative processes is unacceptable,” said Mabuyane.
The party identified several municipal hot-spots and admitted that service delivery was held up by ANC councillors’ infighting.
“There’s a new culture for councillors not to focus on their core business of overseeing the performance of the municipalities, but to interfere with administrative processes. We are trying to correct that and tell councillors that this is not acceptable,” said Mabuyane.
In an attempt to deal with factions the party has made some major reshuffles in at least five municipalities – Nelson Mandela Bay Metro, Lukhanji, Mbizana, Mbhashe and Mnquma .
More than 65 ANC councillors have been charged by the party this year and of these, 45 have been sentenced, including :
l 16 Mbhashe councillors were suspended from the party for three years for defying party orders and firing mayor Nonceba Mfecane; 10 Mbhashe councillors had their party membership suspended for three years for the same offence.
l In Mnquma, 27 ANC councillors were suspended from the party for five years. The sanction is suspended for five years . They removed council speaker Nomnikelo Magadla and chief whip Luxolo Mgandela against party wishes;
l A case against 20 Lukhanji ANC councillors is still pending, subject to a ruling by the party’s top five national officials ;
l The top three ANC councillors of several municipalities including Matatiele, King Sabata Dalindyebo and Amahlathi were summoned to Calata House this week to account for decisions they made against party orders. In Amahlathi, the council resolved to appoint two managers, defying Mabuyane’s order that both positions be re-advertised.
The Daily Dispatch reported two weeks ago that some councillors felt Calata House – the ANC provincial headquarters – was where the problem with political interference lay, as the PEC interfered in their attempts to oversee municipalities.
Mabuyane at the time defended the party’s decisions, which were communicated through faxes, saying all they were trying to do was give guidance to ANC deployees in councils. He said the April 29 meeting was convened because ANC councillors have to provide leadership.
“So far we have been found wanting. We can’t have ANC councillors doing things as they please as if there is no political leadership.
“It’s high time we drew the line.” —
ANC draws audit line
Not a single Eastern Cape municipality received a clean audit for 2011-12 and infighting within councils was highlighted as a leading cause by Auditor-General Terence Nombembe. He said municipalities had regressed from 2010-2011.
This is despite the government having set a target of 2014 to have clean audits for all state entities.
The Dispatch earlier this month reported that municipalities blew R5.1-billion in unauthorised, irregular and wasteful expenditure in the 2011-2012 financial year – more than double the previous year.
Nombembe told premier Noxolo Kiviet that councillors who lacked the will or skill to manage state funds were bringing local government down in the Eastern Cape .
ANC provincial secretary Oscar Mabuyane said the meeting was scheduled for Monday April 29, and all 1084 ANC councillors will be addressed in the presence of the entire provincial executive (PEC) and regional leaders .
“Our main concern is poor audit outcomes. We want to tell the councillors in no uncertain terms that their continued interference with administrative processes is unacceptable,” said Mabuyane.
The party identified several municipal hot-spots and admitted that service delivery was held up by ANC councillors’ infighting.
“There’s a new culture for councillors not to focus on their core business of overseeing the performance of the municipalities, but to interfere with administrative processes. We are trying to correct that and tell councillors that this is not acceptable,” said Mabuyane.
In an attempt to deal with factions the party has made some major reshuffles in at least five municipalities – Nelson Mandela Bay Metro, Lukhanji, Mbizana, Mbhashe and Mnquma .
More than 65 ANC councillors have been charged by the party this year and of these, 45 have been sentenced, including :
l 16 Mbhashe councillors were suspended from the party for three years for defying party orders and firing mayor Nonceba Mfecane; 10 Mbhashe councillors had their party membership suspended for three years for the same offence.
l In Mnquma, 27 ANC councillors were suspended from the party for five years. The sanction is suspended for five years . They removed council speaker Nomnikelo Magadla and chief whip Luxolo Mgandela against party wishes;
l A case against 20 Lukhanji ANC councillors is still pending, subject to a ruling by the party’s top five national officials ;
l The top three ANC councillors of several municipalities including Matatiele, King Sabata Dalindyebo and Amahlathi were summoned to Calata House this week to account for decisions they made against party orders. In Amahlathi, the council resolved to appoint two managers, defying Mabuyane’s order that both positions be re-advertised.
The Daily Dispatch reported two weeks ago that some councillors felt Calata House – the ANC provincial headquarters – was where the problem with political interference lay, as the PEC interfered in their attempts to oversee municipalities.
Mabuyane at the time defended the party’s decisions, which were communicated through faxes, saying all they were trying to do was give guidance to ANC deployees in councils. He said the April 29 meeting was convened because ANC councillors have to provide leadership.
“So far we have been found wanting. We can’t have ANC councillors doing things as they please as if there is no political leadership.
“It’s high time we drew the line.” —
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