Municipality splurges R1.2m on flowers but owes Eskom R98m

The Mantsopa Local Municipality in the Free State has reportedly spent about R1.2 million on flowers in the 2015/2016 financial year despite the municipality owing Eskom R98 million.

The cost of the flowers, which did not exist in the previous financial year, has prompted the Democratic Alliance (DA) to write to the council and its financial committee about the exorbitant amount spent on flowers.

Now the party wants the municipality’s administration explain what the flowers were for.

According to a report by Netwerk24, the municipality also bought a R531 274 Mercedes-Benz C200 for its mayor on October 25, 2016. While only R500 000 had been budgeted for the official car.

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The news website reports that according to a mid-term report submitted to the council in January, the municipality owes Eskom R98 million. Mantsopa Local Municipality includes the towns of Excelsior, Hobhouse, Ladybrand, Thaba Patchoa and Tweespruit.

DA councillor Tania Halse said it was “incomprehensible and unconscionable” that the municipality could spent thousands of rands on flowers while it could not pay Eskom. She said the roads and water infrastructure in Mantsopa were falling into disrepair because of no money.

“They must prove that the right procedure was followed since more than R100 000 was spent,” she said.

Mantsopa’s municipal manager, Selby Selepe, has denied that the municipality had bought flowers to the tune of R1.2 million to Netwerk24, but Halse said she had an invoice to prove it.

She provided an annual report currently being tabled, in which the expense is clearly stated as proof.