Chairperson, the local government sector faces a lot of challenges - from the vastness of the communities they serve to poor infrastructure. However, the lack of good governance can no longer be excused as one the challenges. It must be faced and dealt with as the daylight robbery and criminality that it is. Corruption in local government robs citizens of the chance for decent a livelihood.
Financial mismanagement and weak accountability undermines any other strides that the sector has made. The extent to which funds are mismanaged reflects a completely dysfunctional system. We acknowledge some of the challenges faced by the sector, such as the skills gap. However, the current remedies applied do not necessarily translate into long-term solutions.
For many years now, local government has been making use of consultants because they lack capacity in certain areas. However, there is little evidence that the consultants impart their skills to municipal staff members and, as such, this failure means that the sector shall continue to spend billions on consultants. This is a problem that needs urgent addressing. Local government should not continue to be a vehicle that enriches the few.
It is apparent that policy-makers in this sector are completely detached from the reality faced by citizens. Hence we shall continue to see more and more violent protests. The reports that local government is the most corrupt sector, are a shame - a despicable shame - considering that it is the direct link to the poorest of the poor. The fact that only 18% of 278 municipalities received clean audits means we are sitting with a massive crisis.
Corrupt officials are looting local government at the expense of the poor, and there are very few who are prosecuted for these outrageous crimes. Reports that in some municipalities funds are channelled into the personal accounts of officials display the level of arrogance from those in the administration. This also reflects the rot of impunity in the current government administration.
We do hope that Operation Clean Audit by the department will yield the desired results. Self-serving, arrogant and incompetent political leadership needs to be dealt with decisively. Effective economic development depends on strong leadership.
Rre Tona, rona re le ba UCDP, re lela ka magosi a rona. A magosi a rona a tshwarwe ka go lekana. Ke go neye sekai, kwa Bokone Bophirima, goreng re sa nne le madi a a lekanang le dikgosi tse dingwe? Toropo ya rona ya Mahikeng e bidiwa toropo ya dikhuti; ke leina leo le eteilweng ka ntlha ya go tlhoka ditsela. (Translation of Setswana paragraph follows.)
[Hon Minister, we as the UCDP have a problem when it comes to our chiefs. Let us treat our chiefs equally. Let me give you an example: Why is it that the chiefs in the North West province do not have the same amount of money as other chiefs? Our town, Mahikeng, is named "pothole town". That is the name given to it due to lack of proper roads.]
The UCDP supports the Budget Vote. Thank you. [Time expired.] [Applause.]