WC Government launches urgent court application against Kannaland | Western Cape Government

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WC Government launches urgent court application against Kannaland

11 January 2021

The Western Cape Government is taking Kannaland Municipal Council representatives and senior officials to task for their attempts to push through a raft of new “political” staff appointments as well as other potentially prejudicial and unlawful transactions.

Anton Bredell, the Provincial Minister of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning in the Western Cape, says that the action is necessary to prevent the Municipality from incurring massive liabilities that it simply cannot afford.

“There are ongoing efforts to push through a contract with a private entity for the provision of electricity and water services and infrastructure at a cost of hundreds of millions of rand that would bind the Municipality for more than 25 years. This when National and Provincial Treasury have advised the Municipality that they have not followed due process nor ensured that the process followed was fair, transparent, competitive and cost effective.   It appears that the project will come at a cost of R735 millon which is clearly not affordable when the municipality’s entire available operating budget for 2020/21 is R174 million,” says Bredell.

Bredell says the appointment of political staff in the offices of the Speaker and Mayor, including an office manager, a driver, a clerk, a ‘political support’ officer and ‘support staff’ is particularly reprehensible for a small municipality in a financial crisis struggling to deliver services to the community and dealing with the economic effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The towns of Ladismith, Zoar, Vanwyksdorp and Calitzdorp fall under the municipality that is in the Central Karoo. In 2017 a provincial intervention was undertaken in Kannaland following a request from the council at the time.

“The latest conduct of the municipality is not only unlawful, it also undermines the hard-won gains made by the Provincial Government in respect of improving the Municipality’s financial stability and sustainability since 2017. The financial recovery plan put in place for the Municipality, introduced a cost effective and cost saving staffing structure which is now being ignored. This smacks of jobs for pals and is simply unacceptable,” Bredell says.

Media Enquiries: 

James-Brent Styan

Spokesperson for the Minister of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, Anton Bredell

Mobile:                   084 583 1670

Telephone:            021 483 2820

E-mail:                    James-Brent.Styan@westerncape.gov.za