Merged ANC municipality in total disarray

1 October 2019

The Rand West City Local Municipality has been hit by an ongoing strike action for a month, with workers demanding salary increases.

Service delivery is non existent as a result of the strike action, with uncollected garbage visibly strewn everywhere, water leaks left unattended and sewage running through the streets.

This municipality, that is among hundreds of failing ANC-led councils in the country, is the result of a merger between the former Randfontein and Westonaria municipalities. Since the merger, the billing system has been so dysfunctional that residents in Randfontein are being billed more than those in Westonaria and Bekkersdal.

In addition, only 57% of revenues were collected from ratepayers last month.

It would cost the Rand West City Local Municipality R54 million to effect the wage increases. This for a municipality that can hardly afford to pay its bills.

It is totally unacceptable for residents to be at the receiving end of such poor service delivery.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has been against the merger from the start because the process was flawed and meant to benefit politicians who received higher salaries due to the municipality grade being raised as a result of the merger.

In a letter to the municipality on 19 August 2019, the South African Local Government Association (SALGA) indicated that the municipality has no capacity to resolve this matter.

The DA therefore calls on the Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) Minister, Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, to urgently intervene in the strike action that is severely hampering service delivery to residents.

Only the DA can bring change that builds One South Africa for All.

Issued by Jacques Julius, Westonaria Constituency Head, 1 October 2019