Just the other day, in this very forum, I listed a number of - incidentally - ANC-run municipalities (uMsunduzi, uMngeni and uMgungundlovu District) which have blatantly mismanaged state funds and received hardly a rebuke from the MEC for Local Government who is, otherwise, rather prone to intervening in municipalities of other political hues.

The latest ‘local difficulty’ for the ruling party in local government is twofold. Again in the spotlight is uMsunduzi Municipality which has failed to make a start, let alone headway, with refurbishing Pietermaritzburg’s own Harry Gwala Stadium in the run-up to the 2010 Soccer World Cup. (The stadium has been listed as an ancillary training facility ahead of the tournament.)

The municipality, apparently, redirected the funds allocated to the stadium towards running its day-to-day operations and staff salaries. This follows uMsunduzi Council’s express determination to take over the financial responsibility for the refurbishment of the stadium from uMgungundlovu District.

The provincial government, which has now stepped in through the MEC for Local Government, is the third institution in charge of the Harry Gwala Stadium. Are we, at last, to see some refurbishment?

The second municipality under media scrutiny is Mpofana (Mooi River) whose decision to raise municipal rates by as much as 400 percent has raised eyebrows across the country.

We in the IFP wish to remind some municipal managers that municipalities are there to make life of the residents more secure and more pleasant. Municipalities should not be around to place unreasonable burdens on already financially stressed property owners - for apparently no reason.

The IFP urges both the national and provincial governments to reassure the public that the valuations processes in all municipalities are conducted with reason and fairness. We also urge the respective authorities to cap the increase in income a municipality can raise through rates to the inflation rate.

Dr Lionel Mtshali

Leader of the Official Opposition 

Contact: Dr Lionel Mtshali, 083 256 4902