The Freedom Front Plus (VF Plus) condemns the decision of the Mbombela Local Municipality (Nelspruit, Hazyview, White River, Barberton) to send two additional delegates to the 2025 World Water Week in Stockholm, Sweden, with taxpayers footing the bill.
Mbombela’s water service provider, Silulumanzi, invited the Executive Mayor, Sibongile Makushe-Mazibuko, and the Municipal Manager, Mr Wiseman Khumalo, to attend the event at its expense.
In a step violating Mbombela’s financial constraints, the ANC used its majority in the Council to approve funding for two additional delegates at the Municipality’s expense.
This decision comes at a time when Mbombela is facing a budget crisis with creditors owing more than R2 billion. This includes debts of the Department of Public Works and Transport (R110,6 million), clinics (R31 million) and schools (R10,3 million).
The Freedom Front Plus believes that the Mayor and Municipal Manager should stand back and focus on addressing the Municipality’s challenges, and delegate the invitation to two relevant or qualified officials instead.
Instead, the ANC has once again prioritised political preference over service delivery and fiscal responsibility.
Over the past 36 months, not a single report was tabled to the Council outlining the tangible benefits or improvements in municipal governance brought about by overseas trips.
The Freedom Front Plus demands a comprehensive report on why previous decisions regarding travel accountability have not been implemented, and that disciplinary action be taken against those responsible.
The party remains committed to holding the Municipality accountable and ensuring that public funds are used for residents’ benefit, not to subsidise political excursions.
Freedom Front Plus Civic Education: The party promotes civic education among its members and supporters.
Pink C
Van der Merwe is approached by SANRAL one day who want to build a new highway through his donkey farm. Van is really concerned with how his donkeys can get from one side of the farm to the other without having to cross the highway and risk being injured or killed. He is promised that they will build bridges the highway so that his donkeys can cross under the highway. Van agrees and gives them the go-ahead.
The highway is built and a year later the same rep goes to the farm to go see how Van and his donkeys are. He eventually finds Van under one of these bridges chipping away at the roof of the tunnel with a hammer and chisel.
\”Mnr Van de Merwe, what are you doing damaging the highway bridge?\”
Shooter
Fun South African Fact: The Karoo region in the Western Cape is home to some of the best fossils of early dinosaurs. In fact, it is estimated that some 80% of the mammalian fossils found to date were found in the Karoo.