AfriForum protests against spending on presidential inauguration

As part of AfriForum’s #StopTheBus campaign, a number of protest letters against the Presidency’s plans to have 2 000 people from the province transported to the presidential inauguration in Pretoria on Saturday at the cost of municipalities, were delivered at the offices of the Department of Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs (Coghsta) on Friday.
After delivering the letters AfriForum’s Assistant Coordinator for the Soutpansberg region, David Rule said that municipalities are already struggling to make the grade and cannot provide basic services to residents due to a lack of funds.
“Tax payers are burdened with irregular or no water supply, the non-removal of waste and raw sewage running off in streets due to the failure of municipalities to perform their constitutional obligation,” Rule added.
“If you consider the current economical state of South Africa, then the costs related to this presidential inauguration are unjustified. It is unfair and irresponsible of the Presidency to additionally place this burden on municipalities. It is time for citizens to stand up to this squandering of money and that is exactly what this campaign represents. That is why we are saying ‘stop the bus’ with the wastefulness of municipal funds,” Rule concluded.
DA Provincial Leader Jacques Smalle said that the DA will honour the inauguration of the head of state by sending a delegation to attend the event. It is, however, the DA’s position that the municipalities under its control do not have the financial resources to support this unfunded mandate, according to Smalle.
Spokesperson for Coghsta, Mothupa Selomo referred enquiries about the matter to Spokesperson for the Office of the Premier, Kenny Mathiva. Mathiva said to Polokwane Observer that no provincial government department is dealing with the matter and that AfriForum’s delivery of the letters at Coghsta was misplaced. “The relevant municipalities are distinct organs of state and have to deal with the matter,” Mathiva said.
Both Polokwane Municipality’s Communications and Marketing Manager, Matshidiso Mothapo and Capricorn District Municipality’s Communications Manager, Jabu Masondo said that no request regarding the transportation of residents to the inauguration had been received at time of going to print. Masondo also confirmed that none of the other municipalities in Capricorn district have received any requests in this regard.

Story: BARRY VILJOEN
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