Thank you, hon Chair. Hon Minister, hon Deputy Minister, hon Deputy Chair and hon Chief Whip, hon members and distinguished guests in the gallery, indeed it is a real privilege to stand here, but listening to and seeing the budget of this department, this new Ministry, I wonder whether we will make it. With the huge challenges that the councils are facing in this country, poverty and service delivery are real issues.
The problem that we are really facing here is that service delivery needs urgent attention and development. However, the very same money is often used to pay mayors and municipal managers that have been found guilty of mismanagement and corruption. We must speak truth to power. For example, the mayor in the municipality of Mier in the Northern Cape was found guilty of corruption and she lost her appeal but continues to serve as mayor. In Siyanda District Municipality, meanwhile, the municipal manager was given a golden handshake of almost R1 million after an investigation report, following an investigation that was conducted by a private firm, said he should be charged for the misuse of public funds and corruption. After he was given a golden handshake, he was appointed temporary municipal manager in Mier Local Municipality.
How seriously do we take our people at grass-roots level? Sol Plaatje Municipality already has seven disclaimers. What kind of message does this send to our people? We should not be surprised when the people barricade the roads and burn down the houses of councillors. Yet councillors are facing these challenges without any real support of any kind.
Hierdie Raad verteenwoordig die mense op voetsoolvlak en dit is hoekom ons moet kyk na hierdie enorme taak. Dienslewering is baie belangrik vir ons mense. Indien 'n mens na private grond kyk, is daar mense in die Noord-Kaap wat nie dienste ontvang nie, omdat hulle op private grond bly. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)
[This Council represents the people at grass-roots level and that is why we have to look at this huge undertaking. Service delivery is very important to our people. If one looks at private land, one will see that there are people in the Northern Cape who are not receiving services, as they are living on private land.] This department and this select committee must make sure that the people on private land who are not receiving water, electricity and houses, need to receive services. This is very important.
Another point of concern for the ID is the fact that an estimated 30% of councillors in South Africa are illiterate concerning finances. We need to train our councillors to understand budgets and to understand how finance systems are working, so that they can indeed serve the people. I thank you. [Applause.]