– State of the District Address (SODA) failed to address the water and sanitation crisis and financial challenges in the district.
– Mopani District has an unfunded budget that threatens services
– Numerous delayed water projects and owes Lepelle Northern Water R302 million and Department of Water and Sanitation R384 million
The Mopani District Municipality State of the District Address by the Executive Mayor, Cllr Pule Shayi on 19th of June failed to address the financial challenges affecting the district and the most critical issue concerning the residents of Mopani District, water and sanitation.
The municipality has many financial challenges that threaten its ability to provide services to communities in Mopani, but the mayor chose to revel in an unchanged audit outcome despite the fact that the district has incurred about R360 million in fruitless and wasteful, irregular and unauthorized expenditure. Mopani District Municipality also had an unfunded budget with a R2.4 billion shortfall and audit findings indicated that the municipality has misused R680 million that has led to the unfunded budget.
Revenue collection continues to be a major challenge for the district as only one municipality, Greater Letaba, is paying for the water that they receive from the district. It is then no surprise that Mopani District owes Lepelle Northern Water R302 million and the Department of Water and Sanitation R384 million.
The DA is not convinced by the empty promises of Mayor Shayi that has left the people of Mopani with no water in their households and continues the ANC-led municipality’s legacy of inadequate water provision in the district.
Many projects have underperformed and others have been delayed. The “Hi Nwa Mati” programme provides water from boreholes but has largely underperformed. The Tours project that is meant to provide water to residents has faced a misuse of funds, project delays and remains incomplete. The mismanagement of subscheme 2 of Ritavi which is meant to provide water to 8500 households is also likely to result in delays. Contracts were handed over to address the sanitation crisis in Mopani and the DA will be monitoring the progress to ensure residents receive services and that the projects are done on time and within budget.
The DA will continue to fight for clean governance, good financial and project management that prioritise services for residents. Mopani residents deserve functioning sanitation systems, and reliable water provision in households.