Despite a few areas of concern, the Provincial Treasury and the Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) departments have expressed optimism about Moretele Local Municipality. They noted that the municipality has demonstrated pockets of excellence and stands a better chance of achieving a clean audit in the future. Moretele has improved its audit outcome, moving from a qualified audit in the 2021/22 period to an unqualified opinion in 2022/23.
This progress was highlighted during a municipal roadshow, undertaken by the two departments to provide feedback to municipalities based on their assessments of financial performance, accountability, and governance matters.
Addressing the administrative and political leadership, the MEC for Finance Kenetswe Mosenogi emphasized the need for coordinated efforts to eliminate duplication and miscommunication. This approach aims to work with all key players in the accountability ecosystem to improve both financial performance and service delivery. The joint effort is geared toward supporting and capacitating underperforming municipalities to help them turn the corner and enhance their services.
“There has been notable progress, but challenges remain,” said MEC Mosenogi. “The key question is, what are we doing to address systemic weaknesses? These issues have been persistent, and resolving them requires a cultural shift. Councillors need to be responsive to people’s needs, as sometimes all communities need is timely feedback. Moretele is one step closer to achieving a clean audit.”
Mosenogi also stressed the importance of involving all municipal officials, not just the finance division, in implementing post-audit action plans. Identified challenges within the municipality include the absence of a complaints management system, infrastructure issues, insufficient maintenance, poor revenue collection, and unauthorized, irregular, fruitless, and wasteful expenditure. The MEC emphasized the need to address these issues head-on.
On revenue collection, MEC Mosenogi pointed out that Moretele’s strategic location provides opportunities to generate much-needed funds. “Even if you rely on grants, you are a strategically located municipality. There are resources you need to capitalize on to drive development and generate revenue for the municipality.”
Additionally, Mosenogi urged councillors to perform their oversight functions without fear, ensuring the administration remains accountable. She stressed the importance of equipping councillors with the necessary skills to meet their responsibilities effectively.
“Councillors must stay empowered and adapt to the changing world. It’s essential to seize every learning opportunity, and instead of just certificates of attendance, we must aim for certificates of competence to apply these skills within the municipality. This is how you become better.”
Executive Mayor Councillor George Manyike affirmed the municipality’s commitment to implementing the recommendations. “We agree that we have not reached our full potential, and there is room for improvement,” he said.
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Issued by North West Provincial Treasury For more information contact: 018 388 3584/3239