Councillors and officials are in for a bit of austerity as the municipality seeks to cut down on expenses. No more fancy hotels for the town’s leaders when they are out of town.
“It’s B&Bs with a maximum rate of R1 000 per night. We have to ensure that this town is viable. We are asking our ratepayers to pay an 8% increase in rates, electricity and refuse removal. Councillors and officials need to lead by example,” warned Speaker Sduduzo Mdluli in a Council meeting in which the 2014/15 budget was passed.
He also warned that where possible travelling will be cut down, and those attending out of town meetings will be asked to travel down (or up) on the day of the meeting to prevent the municipality having to pay hotel costs.
Electricity theft is crippling the town’s finances.
Over R50-million has been stolen from the municipal grid through meter tampering and illegal connections over the past two years.
The Council is to hire an independent auditing firm to check all meters in the municipal area in a bid to stop the rot.
Offenders will be granted amnesty if they come forward and admit to having an illegal connection.
