DA accuses Molemole muni of wasteful expenditure
DA Councillor Calvin Matjee said the DA opposes the splurge of money, and challenges the mayor and speaker to return the unnecessary and extravagant purchases.
LIMPOPO – According to DA councillor in Molemole, Calvin Matjee, the Molemole Municipality purchased luxury vehicles valued at over R1 million recently and the DA regards this as wasteful expenditure.
Matjee further stated the municipality spends most of its budget on salaries, and only 27% on service delivery, and therefore the purchase of the vehicles could be regarded as wasteful spending.
“Molemole Speaker, Mpelege Moreroa, has just taken delivery of another luxury 4×4 vehicle, costing over R500 000. Collectively, the wasteful spending for these two ANC officials totals R1,5 million, which is money that will never make its way to the delivery of services for the people of Molemole. National Treasury requires municipalities to spend upwards of 60% of their budgets on service delivery, but Molemole falls enormously short of this,” he said.
The DA unambiguously opposed the decision to purchase the vehicles during a recent council meeting, he said.
“We oppose this splurge of money, and we challenge the mayor and speaker to return these unnecessary and extravagant purchases. To make matters worse, the mayor is about to be assigned a private driver to drive him around in his luxury vehicle, all at the public’s expense. The process of employing new drivers will be discussed in the next council sitting,” he said.
Spokesperson for the Molemole Municipality, Morongoa Pholoba said the vehicles were purchased by the municipality for the mayor and speaker to carry out their official duties.
According to her, the municipality did so through the Supply Chain Management processes.
“The Act provides for the municipal council to approve the allocation of a municipal vehicle for the mayor and or speaker for use during official duties. It is also in line with Section 5 of the Salga Mayoral Handbook,” she said.
The budget for the procurement of the vehicles for the mayor and speaker was approved by the previous Council on 30 May, about three months before the local government elections, according to Pholoba.
“Matjee was part of that council and aware of the allocated budget for the vehicles. He opted to not speak up until after the procurement processes were completed.”
She emphasised that the last mayoral vehicle was purchased in 2011. “The municipality remains resolute in delivering services to the community,” Pholoba said.
