Speaker en agb lede, ek bring u vandag die skokkende nuus dat die munisipale bestuurder van Drakenstein raadslede en amptenare van daardie munisipaliteit se agterstallige skuld op 'n rand-vir-rand basis wil afskryf.
In 'n omsendbrief moedig hy raadslede en amptenare aan wat meer as 90 dae agterstallig is met hul rekeninge om relings met die administrasie te tref vir die betaling van 50% van hul skuld voor 31 Mei 2011. Vir elke rand wat hul skuld, hoef hul net 50c te betaal.
Eerstens, soos u almal weet, is hierdie bogenoemde afskrywing lynreg teen munisipale wetgewing wat bepaal dat raadslede en amptenare nooit meer as 90 dae agterstallig mag wees nie. Tweedens het die administrasie van hierdie ANC-beheerde munisipaliteit gefaal om, soos die wet voorskryf, die nodige verhalings van salarisse te doen.
Dit is absoluut verregaande dat 'n munisipale bestuurder wat so blatant sy onkunde, of blatante ignorering, van die wet ten toon stel in die eerste plek in di posisie aangestel is in 'n munisipaliteit met 'n begroting van meer as R1 miljard. Hier sien u eerstehands die gevolge van kader- ontplooiing. (Translation of Afrikaans member's statement follows.)
[Mr N D DU TOIT (DA): Speaker, and hon members, today, I want to share with you the shocking news that the municipal manager of Drakenstein wishes to write off the arrears on the accounts of councillors and officials of that municipality on a rand-for-rand basis.
In a circular, he is encouraging councillors and officials whose bills are more than 90 days in arrears to make arrangements with the administration to pay off 50% of their debt before 31 May 2011. For every rand they owe they only have to pay back 50c.
In the first instance, as you all know, the above-mentioned write-off is a direct contravention of municipal legislation, which determines that councillors and officials should never be more than 90 days in arrears. Secondly, the administration of this ANC-led municipality has failed, as prescribed by law, to recoup the necessary monies from salaries.
It is absolutely outrageous that a municipal manager who is blatantly displaying his ignorance of, or blatantly ignoring, the law has been appointed to this position in the first place in a municipality with a budget of more than R1 billion. Here one can see for oneself the consequences of cadre deployment.] Fortunately, the voters of Drakenstein have a chance to choose a new administration. I have every confidence that a new DA administration will bring good governance to Drakenstein. Thank you. [Applause.]