The Democratic Alliance (DA) has written to the Municipal Manager of Emthanjeni Municipality, Disang Molaole, calling for urgent action to fix long delays in the issuing of trading licences.
Some applications have been outstanding for as long as three years, affecting a wide range of businesses, including major retailers. The situation is creating unnecessary uncertainty for shop owners, small businesses, and even bigger retailers that contribute to the local economy and job creation, placing their viability at risk and threatening the local economy.
At a time when unemployment in the De Aar area remains critically high, the municipality cannot afford to place existing businesses and jobs at risk through inefficiency and inaction.
The situation is unacceptable. The municipality has a responsibility to process applications on time and support local economic activity and build investor confidence, not hold it back.
The DA has asked the municipality to give Council a full report explaining:
• How big the backlog really is;
• Why these delays have been allowed to happen;
• What will be done to fix the problem; and
• How accountability for this failure will be enforced.
People deserve a municipality that works for them, helps businesses grow and protects jobs.
The DA will continue to apply pressure to ensure that this matter is resolved without further delay. We remain committed to protecting local businesses, safeguarding jobs, and holding the municipality accountable for delivering the services that residents and businesses deserve.