Treasury’s decision to withhold money from 13 municipalities in NW slammed

The Freedom Front Plus (FF Plus) in North West has lambasted the provincial government following the National Treasury’s decision to withhold portions of the conditional grants of 13 municipalities in the province.

In a letter, Treasury wrote to the MEC for Cooperative Governance, Treasury stated that portions of the affected municipality’s allocations would no longer be transferred in the current financial year, based on an anticipated non-performance against their allocations.

The 13 affected municipalities include the City of Matlosana, Rustenburg and Madibeng Municipalities.

Member of Provincial Legislature for the Freedom Front Plus, De Wet Nel says the party is deeply concerned.

“It has been indicated that municipalities in North West province will lose their municipal grants, which amounts to hundreds of millions. We are deeply concerned about this decision, particularly because municipalities in North West province have been facing significant service delivery issues, particularly when it comes towards electricity. This decision is a clear indication that municipalities in the province do not have the necessary skills and capabilities to complete infrastructure projects, and the province, should have intervened earlier, as the custodian of these grants.”