Agb Adjunkspeaker, daar word baie oor plaaslike regering gepraat, maar ek wil vandag vir die ANC-regering s een van die basiese aspekte en funksies, as dit gaan oor plaaslike regering, is die betaling van dienstegelde. Daar word in hierdie stadium R34,1 miljard onder plaaslike regerings verdeel, maar die jongste syfer wat ek vir die uitstaande dienstegelde gekry het, is R56 miljard.
Dit is 'n totale onreg wat op plaaslike regeringsvlak gepleeg word. Mense wat wel vir hul dienste betaal, moet daardie mense wat nie vir hul dienste betaal nie, subsidieer. Moet nie vir my kom s dat dit arm mense is wat nie kan betaal nie. Hulle kan betaal, want daar is basiese watertariewe en basiese elektrisiteitsvoorsiening vir die armstes van die armes wat nie kan betaal nie.
Voorsitter, die VF Plus wil aan u 'n voorstel doen omdat hierdie agterstallige dienstegelde net meer en meer word. Ek weet ander politieke partye is versigtig om hieroor te praat, want dit is mos nou verkiesingstyd. Hulle is bang hulle verloor stemme. Ek wil vandag vir u s die agb Minister van Finansies moet aan daardie munisipaliteite wie se agterstallige dienstegelde vergroot is, nie 'n enkele sent van die sentrale fondse gee nie. Dit sal hulle dan laat besef dat hulle iets omtrent agterstallige dienstegelde moet doen.
Dan moet daar 'n glyskaal ingestel word. Daar moet 'n sekere persentasie vermindering van die agterstallige dienstegelde wees alvorens hulle kan kwalifiseer om verdere fondse van die staatskas te kry. Anders s ek vandag vir u gaan die agterstallige dienstegelde net groter en groter word, en die onreg groter en groter, aangesien di wat wel betaal diegene moet subsidieer wat nie betaal nie. Dis onaanvaarbaar. (Translation of Afrikaans speech follows.)
[Mr P J GROENEWALD: Hon Deputy Speaker, much is said about local government, but I would like to say to the ANC government today that one of the basic aspects and functions, where local government is concerned, is to ensure payment of service fees. At this stage R34,1 billion is apportioned to local government, but the latest figure I received for outstanding service fees amounts to R56 billion.
What is happening at the level of local government is a total injustice. People who are actually paying for their services must subsidise those people who are not paying for their services. Don't tell me it is poor people who cannot pay. They can pay, because there are basic water tariffs and basic provision of electricity for the poorest of the poor who cannot pay.
Chairperson, the FF Plus would like to make a proposal to you because the outstanding service fees are just increasing. I know that other political parties are wary to discuss this, because it is election time, of course. They are afraid to lose votes. I would like to say to you today that the hon Minister of Finance should not allocate a single cent of the central funds to those municipalities whose outstanding service fees have increased. They will then realise that something has to be done about outstanding service fees.
Then a sliding scale should be introduced. There should be a certain reduction on a percentage basis in the outstanding service fees before they can qualify to get further funds from the Treasury. Otherwise, I am saying to you today, the outstanding service fees will just increase some more, and those who are actually paying will feel greater injustice because they are subsidising those who are not paying. This is unacceptable.]