Ditsobotla local municipality is so broke to the point where it is failing to pay its workers.
The North West province municipality is run by Gayton Mckenzie’s Patriotic Alliance (PA) mayor Elizabeth Lethoko, who previously resigned hours after she was appointed but made a U-Turn to continue with her job.
The staff and unions at the municipality were shocked when the municipal manager Mamorena Lehoko sent them a letter on Monday that delivered bad news.
In the letter, which we have seen, Lehoko stated that Ditsobotla was in no position to pay salaries to the workers for the month of May.
Lehoko said: “This communication serves the purpose to inform the workers of the critical financial situation the municipality is facing. We regret to inform you that the municipality is unable to make payments of salaries for the month of May 2023 until further notice. Workers are also notified that claims on overtime will be paid once the main salaries have been addressed. Workers are advised to make timeous arrangements with creditors as the management is addressing this matter and putting systems in place to correct the financial situation going forth.”
Employees at the municipality raised their concerns on the state of financial affairs at Ditsobotla, where they complained that they are being taken for granted.
“We are not happy at all by how Ditsobotla is being run. It is a complete nonsense that we don’t get paid while we work hard to provide services for the people in Ditsobotla. How does the municipal manager expect us to provide for our families while we are not getting paid,” said an employee.
Another worker said the municipality needed to understand that they are not tokens and they should be paid for the work they have done.
Sunday World reported last year that Ditsobotla was one of the 14 municipalities in North West that have failed to use R138-million earmarked for service delivery.
Ditsobotla municipality spokesperson Pius Batsile and PA leader Mckenzie failed to respond to requests for comment.
McKenzie said: “The ANC in North West has not made peace with the fact that they don’t govern alone, the PA is in a power-sharing agreement with the most dysfunctional ANC, we see how they pull in different directions and openly defy their leadership.
“You have an ANC Speaker that wishes to be mayor and frustrates all efforts of the PA mayor. The plan is to collapse the government in order to put it under administration. The ANC, just like the DA, has now proven in Gauteng and North West that they don’t take the PA serious. We shall answer such disrespect decisively immediately after our NEC meeting next week Thursday.”
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