The DA in the Lephalale Municipality rejects with contempt the decision to spend a staggering R625 000 on a week-long sports junket to Maseru, Lesotho — while residents continue to suffer under collapsing infrastructure and failed service delivery.
We strongly opposed this wasteful expenditure during the Council meeting held on 29 July and will take further steps to hold the municipality answerable and accountable.
We will submit formal objections and table written questions to the Municipal Manager, demanding full disclosure on how — amongst other matters — this expenditure was justified, and how those who will be attending were handpicked.
This decision by the municipality is an insult to the people of Lephalale, who are forced to endure raw sewage flooding their neighbourhoods, persistent water outages, and broken streetlights that remain inoperative for months — while the mayor, several councillors, and hand-picked officials enjoy a ratepayer-funded getaway — all under the guise of “employee wellness”.
The DA supports initiatives that promote employee wellness — but this cannot be used as an excuse for irresponsible, excessive, and exclusive expenditure. Every cent spent on this trip is a cent not spent on repairing broken infrastructure, fixing roads, preventing raw sewage from polluting communities, or ensuring reliable access to clean water.
It is yet another sordid example of how the ANC’s priorities lie with themselves — not with the people they were elected to serve.
The DA will continue to fight for the residents of Lephalale and will not rest while the ANC squanders public money on self-indulgent excursions. We remain committed to responsible governance and transparency — and to ensuring that every cent of public money is spent on the people, not the politicians.