Hon Chair and honourable House, in the Tswaing Local Municipality, right from the beginning the committee was met with a state of chaos. You could not separate the municipality from a liquor restaurant. There was a general lack of discipline. Officials were not at work, while those that were wore caps covering their eyes.
Other general observations by the committee and the report from the administrator concerned water, sanitation, roads, local economic development strategies, organograms, supply-chain management - everything was in disarray. What was most unique about this municipality was its grading system. The municipality was supposed to be at grade 3 or grade 4, but, in terms of a resolution of the council, the municipality was placed at grade 6. The implication of this was that councillors and officials were earning amounts equal to those at a grade 6 municipality - which is just next to a metro.
Other issues such as budgets, integrated development plans, institutional development, and governance were also in a poor state. In terms of the organogram, the report says there were 120 general workers who were promoted to senior management posts. What does this imply? You can get an answer by doing your own personal analysis. There were 19 section 57 managers - the biggest number, I'm sure, in the country and bigger than some of the provinces in terms of a department.
The question is: What are they doing in terms of the five-year strategic agenda of local government? Where are they placed? The other recommendation that we would like to make here is to request the Select Committees on Finance and Appropriations to spend a day or two with that municipality to work on finances. This is important to make sure that the organogram is reviewed and goes back to normality - financially, legally and politically.
The other worrying factor is that it is alleged in the report that this municipality has one gardener and one cleaner. You can see this in its appearance. Therefore, it is important that serious attention be given to this municipality.
The committee, therefore, recommends that section 139(1)(b) of the Constitution be applied. If there are still no improvements, then we will do a review - the administrator should concentrate on making sure that there is a database on every worker and their qualifications.