The Democratic Alliance (DA) has raised serious concern and is demanding urgent answers from the !Kheis Municipality following the appointment of approximately 50 community workers in Grootdrink last week, without any transparency or prior notification to Council or the public.
I became aware of these appointments only after observing workers cleaning the entrance area to Grootdrink on Thursday.
The DA supports job creation, particularly in communities where unemployment is high and opportunities to earn an income are desperately needed. However, we strongly oppose the manner in which these appointments were made.
When jobs are handed out without public knowledge or a clear process, it creates a perception of bias and exclusion, effectively shutting out deserving residents who were never given a fair opportunity to apply.
In terms of good governance and the Municipal Systems Act, the following principles are non-negotiable:
• Job opportunities must be openly advertised and fairly allocated;
• Recruitment processes must be clearly communicated;
• There must be no political interference or favouritism; and
• Councillors must not be involved in appointment processes.
The current situation raises serious concerns that these basic standards have been disregarded. It suggests that processes which should be transparent and fair were conducted behind closed doors, and that positions funded through a public grant may have been allocated in a manner that undermines the broader community.
The DA is therefore calling on municipal management to:
1. Provide full disclosure on the EPWP project, including grant funding received and all appointments made.
2. Publicly outline the recruitment process and selection criteria.
3. Provide a guarantee that future opportunities will be openly advertised and accessible to all community members.
The DA remains committed to clean governance, equal opportunity, and merit-based appointments.
Every resident deserves a fair chance to put food on the table. Job creation must never be abused as a political tool, and employment must never be determined by the political membership card you carry in your pocket.