It is unacceptable that the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro is attempting to write off approximately R23 billion in unauthorised, irregular, fruitless and wasteful expenditure (UIFWE) without a proper investigation.
The amount was racked up between 2009 and 2021.
The Municipal Public Accounts Committee (MPAC) recently voted in favour of recommending the write-off, despite serious concerns about the required investigations not being finalised. A legal opinion submitted to the Committee indicated that many of the claims have already prescribed and would be difficult to recover. This does not, however, relieve the Committee of its duty to thoroughly investigate every matter.
The Freedom Front Plus (VF Plus) is not opposed to lawfully writing off amounts that have been found genuinely irrecoverable by means of a thorough investigation. What is unacceptable, though, is to simply write off such an enormous amount without proper investigation, motivation and consideration by the MPAC.
Particularly because the MPAC is specifically tasked with exercising oversight over the Municipality’s financial accountability and ensuring that public funds are properly managed. Every UIFWE item should be assessed on its own merits: what occurred, who was responsible, whether value for money was obtained, and whether the funds remain recoverable.
Nelson Mandela Bay has the highest UIFWE figure in the country. The National Treasury (NT) has already withheld the Metro’s equitable share allocation precisely because of the lack of progress in addressing these expenditures and the absence of accountability.
If this item is tabled to the entire Council before the MPAC has finalised its investigation, the Freedom Front Plus will object. A resolution to write off billions in public funds cannot be passed in good faith if the responsible Committee has not done its duty properly.
A write-off should also never allow the relevant officials and political office-bearers to evade accountability. Allegations of possible corruption, fraud, negligence or other transgressions have to be investigated and those responsible must be held accountable.
Nelson Mandela Bay cannot afford to have R23 billion disappear from its books. Every rand belongs to NMBM residents and should be accounted for.
The Freedom Front Plus will keep demanding transparency, accountability and the safeguarding of taxpayers’ money.
Freedom Front Plus Social Issues: The party is conservative on social issues, advocating for traditional family values.
Devine Melon
An retired elderly couple visit London..
They get picked up from the airport in a london black cab and head off into the city for some adventure.
The cab driver say \”where you from guvnor?
Husband. \”we\’re from South Africa\”..
The wife is a little hard of hearing asks her husband.
\”What did he say?\”
The husband turns to his wife and says louder \”the cab driver asked us where we were from, I told him South Africa!\”
The cabbie continues \”I was in the merchant navy years back… I got to drop anchor down your way, a few times in Johannesburg\”
The husband replies \”oh wow that\’s where we\’re from originally, now we\’re in Cape Town.\”
The wife asks the husband again \”what did he say?\”.
The husband again relays the unheard conversation \”the cab driver says he spent some time in the navy and went down to joberg\”.
The wife smiles and nods.
Onion King
Fun South African Fact: South Africa is the only country in the world to build and then decide to dismantle the whole of its nuclear weapons program.