Adjunkspeaker, die agb Minister het in sy begrotingstoespraak ges dit gaan goed op plaaslike regeringsvlak. Hy het eintlik gespog daarmee. Wat is die werklikheid? Die werklikheid is dat plaaslike regering in 'n krisis is. Hoe kan die Minister s dit gaan goed op plaaslike regeringsvlak as byvoorbeeld al die munisipaliteite in Noord- Wes tans ondersoek word deur die Spesiale Ondersoekeenheid vir bedrog, vir diefstal, vir wanadministrasie? Hoe kan dit dan goed gaan? (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)
[Mr P J GROENEWALD: Deputy Speaker, in his budget speech the hon Minister said that it is going well at local government level. He actually boasted about it. What is the reality? The reality is that local government is in crisis. How can the Minister say that it is going well at local government level when all the municipalities in North West for example are currently being investigated by the Special Investigating Unit for fraud, for theft, for maladministration? How can it possibly go well?]
I want to say to the hon Minister that the biggest threat to a department and the surest way that that department can collapse is when the Minister is in denial. Hon Minister, you are in denial; local government is in a crisis. Net verlede week moes die Matlosana-munisipaliteit kragtariewe tot 27% verhoog het om te sorg dat die boeke klop. Nie 'n enkele munisipaliteit het 'n skoon oudit gekry nie. Adjunkspeaker, plaaslike regering is in 'n gemors. Dit is in 'n krisis, en die VF Plus sal nie hierdie begrotingspos ondersteun nie. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)
[Just last week the Matlosana Municipality had to increase electricity tariffs to 27% to ensure that the books balance. Not a single municipality received a clean audit. Deputy Speaker, local government is in a mess. It is in crisis, and the FF Plus will not support this Vote.]