Mbombela gives back R1bn in grants despite the poor crying out for help
Of the R1.2 billion in grants the municipality received from Treasury during the 2017/18 financial year, it spent only 13% of it.
The statue of the late Dr Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela at the Government Complex in Mbombela.
The fact that the Mbombela Local Municipality in Mpumalanga returned more than R1 billion to National Treasury that it was allocated in grants for service delivery to the most vulnerable because the council could not spend the funds has raised a massive stink in the province.
The share grants and grants given for the lower spheres of government are intended to be spent on programmes that include social services and municipal services that have a direct impact on the quality of people’s lives, especially the poor.
Of the R1.2 billion in grants the municipality received from Treasury during the 2017/18 financial year, it spent only 13% of it. This left particularly the poorest residents of the rural municipality in limbo.
They were, however, able to spend R8.3 million on a new statue honouring the late Nelson Mandela.
This has caused an outcry from the opposition Democratic Alliance, whose provincial deputy leader, Trudie Grove-Morgan, lambasted the municipality for neglecting crucial service delivery to the people.
“The failing ANC at the Mbombela Local Municipality returned more than R1 billion meant for service delivery to National Treasury, while poor basic services and run-down infrastructure still continue to plague the municipality,” Grove-Morgan said.
“The funds should have been used on building houses, supplying water, building and maintaining roads and infrastructure, creating a proper transport network and good health facilities, which do not exist in the municipality,” she said.
It spent a paltry 11% of its R336.9 million of its municipal infrastructure grant, its Budget Performance Statement for August 2018 showed. Grove-Morgan was concerned that, despite an amount of R203.4 million allocated in the public transport network grant, only 1% was used by Mbombela.
“Roads in Mbombela have potholes, mud, some are still gravel roads and are not safe for travelling. Some tarred roads have turned into gravel due to poor maintenance. It is the failures of the ANC government that continue to further oppress the people of Mbombela. The failing ANC has been given too many second chances; now is time for change that puts the people first,” Grove-Morgan said.
It was further revealed that the municipality failed dismally to use its electrification programme funds, spending only 3%. It spent 20% of the R8.2 million it received in the expanded public works programme incentive grant and used just 17% of the R661.3 million it received from the crucial equitable share grant.
The equitable grant is the money all local government departments and provinces were entitled to and is earmarked for basic services and granted under the Division of Revenue Bill that’s passed yearly to enable allocations.
According to a report published by the Parliamentary Monitoring Group in 2015, the ESG had to be spent as allocated and there were controls on the spending in terms of the law.
“The equitable share targets the funding of basic and free services but it could not fund gaps in municipal revenue collection,” a PMG report said.
Grove-Morgan said poor service delivery alongside unspent grants remained a main crisis in the province.
“The DA will write to the MEC of CoGTA, Speedy Mashilo, and ask him to ensure that all grants are used within the financial year.”
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