The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the Lephalale Municipality welcomes the decision by the municipal council to rescind its decision to spend R625 000 of public money on a week-long sports junket to Maseru, Lesotho — following sustained pressure and interventions by the DA to hold the municipality accountable.
Those still wishing to attend will now have to cover their own costs, rather than burdening residents with this gross extravagance.
This outcome is a victory for responsible governance and for the people of Lephalale, who continue to endure raw sewage flooding their neighbourhoods, persistent water outages, and broken streetlights — as essential infrastructure crumbles after years of irresponsible governance and neglect under the ANC.
While the DA supports legitimate initiatives to promote employee wellness, such efforts must never be used as a pretext for irresponsible and exclusive spending. Ratepayer funds and allocations from the national fiscus must prioritise the rollout and maintenance of basic service infrastructure — not underwrite junkets for politicians and officials.
The DA will remain vigilant to ensure that the ANC’s priorities in Lephalale are shifted away from self-indulgence and back to service delivery. We will continue to fight for transparency, fiscal discipline, and the proper use of every cent of public money.
Where the DA governs, the best interests of the people always come first. This is the essence of ethical governance.