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Dlamini-Zuma urges politicians to manage public funds properly

Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma
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Minister for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma has urged administrators and politicians to manage public funds properly to ensure that the district development model (DDM) is a success.

Dlamini-Zuma was speaking at an event, where she introduced a team of professionals who will be working in the Waterberg district development model in Limpopo on Saturday. The team was introduced to traditional leaders, mayors and MECs in Bela Bela.

“Thank you very much here they are MECs, kgoshi, MMCs, mayors here is your team they are your team you will work with them don’t say they are national to strengthen local government.”

The team is consist of engineers, development planner and finance management specialist.  Dlamini-Zuma says she has asked it to address challenges of managerial, financial management and technical skills as part of institutional support.

She says progress at the district development model has been delayed due to coronavirus pandemic. Dlamini-Zuma says corruption which has recently happened in the COVID-19 relief funds must be avoided at all costs.

“Each one must think may the right hand in the team we have also seen with COVID. We started well with COVID – doing what we were supposed to do and then the corruption issues came and they just mud in the water completely and corruption is very bad because it really the enemy of the people because that money is for the better life of the people why we decided to go on the district development model is to bring the government near to the people.”

Dlamini-Zuma, however, expressed concern over audit outcomes of municipalities in the Waterberg district.

“Once there are problem in the government site they turned to have problem in the administration in the financial side  and in service delivery we need to make sure that the finances of the people are managed properly and there’s no wasteful regular unauthorised expenditure but this are the challenges that we see in this municipalities in this district.”

The pilot project was launched by President Cyril Ramaphosa in the OR Tambo District, eThekwini Metro and Waterberg District last year.

About 300 people from the Waterberg district are receiving agricultural training in the Free State as part of the project.

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