The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the Greater Tzaneen Municipality (GTM) has successfully halted the municipality’s unauthorised construction of a soccer field for its employees at Jetty 3, Tzaneen Dam.
DA councillor Chrisma Bredenkamp said although the project has been stopped, several critical questions remain unanswered.
“Among our questions are who approved the project? How much has been spent or wasted on developing the field and repairing the damage to the farming sector’s irrigation canal? And from which budget vote the funds were misappropriated?” said Bredenkamp.
Community members alerted party
“We also want to know why the existing water servitude was ignored, and who will be held accountable.”
Bredenkamp said the matter came to light after community members alerted her. They informed her of the chopping of trees on a portion of Jetty 3, which is owned by the municipality.
“Upon our enquiries, it was confirmed that GTM had begun clearing the land to construct a soccer field for municipal employees. A revelation that raised more questions than answers,” she said.
“Running through the land in question is a servitude registered in terms of the National Water Act, 1998. It carries the Pusela Water Canal owned by the local irrigation board.”
“This canal supplies irrigation water to the farming sector. And proceeding without the rights holder’s consent or legal cancellation of the servitude was both unlawful and reckless,” Bredenkamp added.
Infrastructure damaged
She revealed that the municipality’s mechanical backhoe damaged the canal multiple times. This happened during land clearing, and resulted in additional costs and water losses.
At no stage during the municipal budget process was there any allocation for the soccer field project. Nor did GTM committees or council ever approve its development, according to Bredenkamp.
“It is incomprehensible how such expenditure could be justified. Especially when the municipality already allocates only 5.42% of its budget to infrastructure maintenance. Far below the national stipulation, while basic service delivery continues to collapse,” she said.
“While the DA notes the undertaking by the Director of Engineering that the soccer field project will be abandoned, the unanswered questions demand accountability. Those responsible must face consequences. Good governance is built on transparency, responsibility, and consequence management. Not on unilateral decisions and the misuse of public resources,” concluded Bredenkamp.
