KZN Cogta MEC calls on municipalities to lower security costs

The KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) Sipho Hlomuka on Tuesday convened a meeting with the province’s mayors where he called on municipalities to lower the costs of security.

Hlomuka met with all the 54 municipalities and municipal administrators where the MEC called for the reduction of hefty private protection bills.

The MEC said there had been an increase in the demand for personal security for councillors and officials.

Hlomuka appealed to municipalities to ensure that proper processes are being followed in providing security to elected representatives in municipalities. This, according to Hlomuka, ought to lower the cost of security services.

“Currently many municipalities incur hefty bills for the provision of security for elected representatives. While we note the importance of safety of public representatives, including officials, and it is not our desire to compromise it where real threats exist, the current practice is unsustainable. We believe that proper processes need to be followed without compromising the security of elected representatives,” Hlomuka said.

The progress made on the municipal turnaround strategy was also discussed during the meeting, with a progress report on the implementation of the strategy tabled.

The meeting heard that there has been huge improvement in the filling of vacant posts at a political level in the municipalities. The meeting noted the continuing efforts by the department to address unfunded budgets in municipalities.

The meeting also discussed the debt owed to Eskom, with Hlomuka expressing his concern about the increasing debt owed to municipalities in the province by consumers.

That debt now sits at R20.1 billion.

“The monies owed to municipalities are also compromising their financial viability and their ability to render services to our communities. This has compromised the ability of municipalities to settle their debt to Eskom which now sits at R2.2 billion.

“Many of our mayors and municipal managers will be aware of the efforts we at Cogta have made to assist indebted municipalities with their payment plans. We are also actively assisting municipalities in their negotiations with Eskom and we have provided legal advice and assistance in several cases where this became necessary,” Hlomuka said.

Those owing municipalities were urged to pay up, since those who are defaulting often include people who prioritise luxuries such as DStv and airtime over paying for essential municipal services, such as water and electricity. The meeting resolved that enforcement measures must urgently be taken against defaulters.

(Compiled by Makhosandile Zulu)

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