Appointment of FSL Public Accounts and Finance Committee Chair a travesty

14 June 2019

The DA rejects the appointment of former controversial Maluti-a-Phofung (MaP) Mayor as Chairperson of the Public Accounts and Finance Committee in the Free State Legislature. Mr Tshabalala led a municipality that was characterised by maladministration, corruption and administrative collapse. The municipality is currently under administration by the province.

The DA is concerned for the following reasons:

Tshabalala was Mayor of the failed MaP municipality, which has the highest debt in the country owing Eskom more than Three Billion Rand (R3,000,000,000.00) and One Billion Rand (R1,000,000,000.00) to the Water Board.

After his forced resignation in May last year it was revealed that there were 19 illegal contracts which had to be terminated by administrators.

Under his leadership 500 ghost workers were appointed in MaP to receive salaries although they were not employees. These appointments were allegedly linked to the December 2017 ANC elective conference at Nasrec in attempts to sway the outcome in favour of the Zuma faction.

One Hundred Thousand Rand (R100,000.00) of municipal money was used by the Mayor to commission a painting presented to King Letsi III of Lesotho.

The municipality as at December 2018 had a collection rate of 11,4%.

The Harrismith Business Forum brought legal action in the Bloemfontein High Court, which led to the parties entering into a settlement agreement, by ordering that a consultative committee be established under chairmanship of the Minister of COGTA, to draw up a recovery plan for MaP. This has not been implemented to date. This indicates that the ANC are not serious about ensuring good governance and proper financial management in the province.

The MaP municipality has the highest unemployment and poverty in the Free State, largely due to the maladministration.

The Public Accounts Committee has to provide oversight over provincial department and municipalities in terms of their annual and auditor general reports, and thus requires a person of undisputed integrity and high moral character. This election implies that Tshabalala will be responsible for oversight over the very municipality which collapsed under his leadership.

We are very disappointed by the leadership demonstrated by the ANC in nominating a person whose moral compass is questionable for one of the most important committees in the Free State Legislature. The hand of Ace Magashule continues to be visible in the Free State.

The DA will continue to ensure that our presence in the committee will enhance oversight and accountability, over provincial government, municipality, and unfortunately now also the committee chairperson.

Issued by David van Vuuren, DA MPL and Chief Whip of the Official Opposition in the Free State Legislature, 14 June 2019