Municipalities are the third tier of government spheres. They are also close to the communities and are there to deliver basic services such as water, refuse collection and electricity. Yet they are failing to deliver.
When councillors fail to deliver on their promises, nothing happens to them. Instead, they continue to draw fat cheques at the expense of residents.
When residents are unhappy with their councillors, they don’t have a mechanism to hold them accountable. Instead, they are told to vote the councillors out in the next elections. That is after five years. Is that fair?
In many municipalities, councillors pressure managers to hire their comrades, family members and friends. When managers are asked to account for employing certain employees, councillors distance themselves, saying their roles don’t involve hiring. But when managers resist employing their people, they make their working lives a living hell.
Some councillors who deserted residents are candidates for the forthcoming municipal elections. That means they are rewarded for not serving their respective wards. This shows that political parties don’t care about incompetence.
Councillors are causing a lot of damage in local government. Therefore, we need to create mechanisms that will hold them accountable. Otherwise, lack of service delivery, mismanagement and corruption will persist.
Thabile Mange, Kagiso II
- Municipalities are the third tier of government responsible for delivering basic services such as water, refuse collection, and electricity.
- Councillors often fail to deliver on their promises but continue to receive full salaries without consequences.
- Residents currently have no effective mechanism to hold councillors accountable between elections, which occur every five years.
- Councillors frequently pressure managers to hire their acquaintances and make working conditions difficult for managers who resist.
- Some councillors who have neglected their duties are still candidates in upcoming municipal elections, indicating political parties overlook incompetence.
Municipalities are the third tier of government spheres.
When councillors fail to deliver on their promises, nothing happens to them. Instead, they continue to draw fat cheques at the expense of residents.
When residents are unhappy with their councillors, they don’t have a mechanism to hold them accountable. Instead, they are told to vote the councillors out in the next elections.
In many municipalities, councillors pressure managers to hire their comrades, family members and friends. When managers are asked to account for employing certain employees, councillors distance themselves, saying their roles don’t involve hiring. But when managers resist employing their people, they make their working lives a living hell.
Some councillors who deserted residents are candidates for the forthcoming municipal elections.
Councillors are causing a lot of damage in local government.
