The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Thabazimbi Local Municipality strongly rejects the decision by the ANC-led administration to host its annual Strategic Planning Session at the luxury Zebula Golf Estate and Spa, a venue outside Thabazimbi near Bela-Bela, at an estimated cost of approximately R200 000, while residents continue to endure poorly maintained infrastructure and persistent service delivery failures.
This follows a similar occurrence in February 2025, when the DA also refused to participate on ethical principle due to wasteful expenditure and misplaced municipal priorities. The needs of the community must come first.
At a time when residents are paying rates and taxes, basic services across large parts of Thabazimbi remain in an unacceptable condition. Many communities still lack functioning streetlights, municipal roads are riddled with potholes, and infrastructure maintenance backlogs continue to grow.
Gravel roads are in a particularly critical state following recent heavy rains. In several areas they have become severely damaged and nearly impassable — undermining public safety, disrupting school transport, delaying emergency response, and constraining local economic activity. The ongoing failure to provide consistent grading, stormwater management, and preventative maintenance reflects poor governance, wrong priorities, and declining municipal capacity.
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Against this backdrop, the DA cannot justify spending hundreds of thousands of rand on an external venue while core service delivery obligations remain unmet. Strategic planning must reflect fiscal discipline, responsible prioritisation, and respect for public funds — not luxury engagements removed from the realities facing residents.
The DA formally proposed that the session be hosted within Thabazimbi to reduce unnecessary expenditure, support local businesses, and demonstrate responsible financial management.
Good governance requires leadership that leads by example and puts the interests of communities first. Costly off-site retreats during a service delivery crisis undermine public trust and reinforce the perception of an administration disconnected from residents’ daily struggles.
Public money is held in trust for the benefit of the community — not for unnecessary external spending.
The DA will continue to exercise robust oversight to ensure accountability, responsible spending, and a renewed focus on service delivery.
The Thabazimbi community deserves better. In the upcoming local government elections, residents will have the opportunity to vote for an ethical, responsible, accountable, and progressive DA-led municipal government that puts the interests of the community first.