Free State Municipalities Pay the Price for Years of Squandering

The decision by the National Treasury (NT) to withhold funding from 16 of the Free State’s 19 municipalities is to the detriment of residents who are already plagued by poor service delivery.

The Freedom Front Plus (VF Plus) advocates for stringent financial discipline, but wants to emphasise that such discipline means very little when officials and political office-bearers’ conduct result in unlawful, irregular and wasteful expenditure year in and year out without them being brought to book.

In ANC-controlled municipalities, committees such as the Municipal Public Accounts Committee (MPAC) are often prevented from functioning properly. Instead of investigating and recovering misappropriated funds, losses are simply written off. In this way, cadres are shielded, while residents foot the bill.

The Treasury is not punishing the ANC, but every household stranded without water and electricity, every business forced to close its doors because the municipality has defaulted, and every resident driving on pothole-ridden roads or falling victim to crime.

The time for making excuses is over. Officials and political leaders who squander taxpayers’ money should be held personally liable and, where necessary, criminally prosecuted.

The only way to free municipalities from this vicious cycle is to oust the ANC once and for all. As long as the ANC remains in power, poor governance, a lack of accountability and the squandering of public funds will prevail.

On 4 November, Free State residents have the opportunity to vote for real change. Support the Freedom Front Plus so we can start restoring municipalities and delivering the services people pay for.

Freedom Front Plus Political Accountability: The party calls for accountability from elected officials.

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