The embattled Mangaung Metro Municipality has managed to approve the budget for the 2022/23 financial year. The budget vote was postponed last week due to fears of disruptions.
The municipality has recently been placed under administration. This has resulted in the limitation of council’s decision making powers.
The adoption of the budget caused confusion among council members, as several councillors abstained from voting.
Service delivery and revenue collection
Some ANC councillors called for a re-count, claiming that some members were unable to vote because they were confused. However opposition political parties accused the ANC of delaying the process, citing the factional battles within the ruling party. Some ANC members abstained from voting.
In tabling the budget, Mangaung Metro Executive Mayor – Mxolisi Siyonzana said the Metro will prioritise service delivery and revenue collection.
“We will be lying to ourselves if we could even think you are happy about the quality of service delivery in Mangaung. The discontentment raised during the recent Presidential Imbizo including many other complaints tabled before my office and councillors, have not fallen on deaf ears. With the assistance of the national administration team, we will ensure that we deliver on the commitments we have made including responding accordingly on the complaints raised to us.” says Siyonzana.
Budget rejected by opposition
Opposition parties have rejected the budget, saying it is unfunded, unrealistic and remains just a dream on paper. Councillor for the DA in the Mangaung Metro Municipality, Dulandi Leech, says the budget does not address service delivery challenges.
“What will however be implemented is the ANC’s plan to further gripple the economy and extort the citizens of the Mangaung and South Africa of their hard-earned money. Citizens of Mangaung will have to pay additional increases in rates, electricity, water, sewage and solid waste which are much higher than the inflation rate of 5.9 percent and not what you have presented in you budget.,” says a disgruntled Leech.
EFF councillor Baba Sebolao, shared similar sentiments to Leech, and says the budget projection is unrealistic.
“Can I deal with matters that bothers the people of Mangaung. Refuse removal, the city is dirty and filthy, but we see refuse removal budget. Can we not be played for fools here. We see parks and open spaces being turned into dumping sites by members of the community only because municipality is failing to collect refuse. We see unrealistic projection of refuse collection,” says Sebolao.
The FF PLUS says residents of Mangaung will only pay for services if they are delivered.
“Speaker resident are to pay for service delivery we hear it all the time but only if services were actually being delivered. the municipality must earn tariffs and taxes and not only collect it. There must be value for tax and tariffs payments”, says FF PLUS councillor, Mare-Lize Thomson.
AASD Councillor, Lucky Mongale says they should also focus on other areas in Mangaung.
“Our problem is you are never dedicated to the people of Mangaung. This budget is not about the people of Mangaung. It is about people adopting a park when there are children who sleep on an empty stomach”, says Mongale.
Mangaung is now under the control of the national government after prolonged instability, financial crises and poor service delivery. The intervention team is tasked with restoring stability and resolving financial issues.
Video: Mangaung Municipality approve 2022/23 budget
