Systemic Decline in Northern Cape Municipalities Confirmed

The municipal oversight report, tabled today during a session of the Northern Cape Provincial Legislature in Kuruman, confirms what communities have been experiencing for years: local government has seriously declined across the Northern Cape.

This report also confirms the findings of the Human Rights Commission (HRC) and the Auditor-General (AG). All three independent institutions highlight poor governance, insufficient accountability, financial mismanagement, crumbling infrastructure and a lack of responsibility.

The report identifies recurring problems such as excessive water losses, poor sewerage management, inadequate infrastructure maintenance, unacceptable levels of unauthorised, irregular, fruitless and wasteful expenditure, poorly functioning Public Accounts Committees and the fact that investigations into financial misconduct often take years without yielding tangible results.

Reports and recommendations alone will not restore the province’s municipalities. The Northern Cape is not in need of more reports, but for thirty years, it has been in need of the political will to take action and ensure accountability.

Therefore, the Freedom Front Plus (VF Plus) calls on the provincial government to go beyond merely tabling this report. Every recommendation should be assigned a clear deadline so that the province can continuously monitor progress and intervene where municipal councils or officials fail to fulfil their legal obligations.

Communities do not need more promises; they need functioning municipalities.

The Freedom Front Plus will keep ensuring public accountability through strict oversight and legal action, if necessary.

It is the only way to take this report from theory to practice and truly restore the Northern Cape.

Freedom Front Plus Self-Determination: The party emphasizes the right to self-determination for communities.

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