The poorest of the poor in Tlokwe will no longer receive groceries during the period of bereavement.
In a sombre text message to all councillors, the manager in the office of the executive mayor, Mr Errol Temanie announced that, as from Monday 4 April 2016, the executive mayor’s office can no longer give families a grocery voucher so they can bury their loved ones with dignity. According to Temanie, the municipal budget for this service has been depleted.
This sudden announcement did not sit well with opposition parties, however.
Neels Coetzer of the Democratic Alliance says the “excuse” is a slap in the face of the community.
“When the executive mayor and his team need money for non-essential expenditure like travel and accommodation for officials, they miraculously get the money together for an adjustment budget,” he says.
“Now, they are taking even more away from the poorest of the poor in our community. This is a gross mockery of our communities that consider it extremely important to hold a funeral according to tradition.
In light of the incapacity to assist our poor communities with the bare basics, the DA suspects that this is just the tip of the iceberg as the latest budget was not even tabled before council as prescribed by the Municipal Financial Management Act (MFMA).
“Therefore, there is currently no opportunity for public participation; response and input from the communities that are supposed to benefit from this budget.
“The DA advocates a society with opportunities for all. How can the municipality take away opportunities from the poor with a clear conscience?
They are supposed to empower and create an environment where we can uplift the poor, create jobs and restore the dignity of the poor,” he objected.
Council spokesperson, Mr William Maphosa says the message from Mr Temanie to the ward councillors was an internal communication.
“Because the budget vote (that offsets such an expenditure) is depleted, the function cannot be carried out until the vote number has been replenished with available funds,” he said.
“If Mr Temanie continues to spend on that vote without there being funds for it, it would constitute unauthorised expenditure. It was, therefore, the responsible thing to do in the interest of good administration.
“It is important to point out that this only affects the ‘grocery voucher’ that bereaved families received for a funeral and not the coffin and service as we refer to it. The municipality’s Department of Community Services still continues to provide the coffin and burial service for poor families,” he clarified.
He says the number of requests for such help has exceeded the available funds. Usually, when this happens, the law allows the situation to be amended through the MFMA’s adjustment budget six months into the financial year.
However, the Council failed to meet in January and was unable to complete and finalise agenda items in the council meeting of February 2016. This meant the adjustment budget could not be approved, he said.
Opposition parties did not attend the meeting in January and walked out of the February meeting because they were unhappy with the Speaker’s ruling on a specific item.
“Unfortunately, due to the current vacancies in the municipality, there has not been a quorum to make the funds available for such a purpose.
“This action is regrettable and was not arrived at easily. Many other options were explored but, as explained above, the current state of affairs has been caused by a much bigger problem in the municipality at the moment,” he said.
The depleted budget has also affected the family of 2-year-old Katlego Mohapeloa of Ext. 7 Baipei.
The toddler was killed in a tragic accident at home and, according to the family, the council could not assist them with burial arrangements, a coffin or groceries.
