– Dawid Kruiper Municipality must enforce eviction of non-paying SMME.
– There is no place for cadre protection in local government.
– Public assets must be put to work for local entrepreneurs.
The Democratic Alliance calls on Dawid Kruiper Municipality to immediately enforce its Council resolution and evict an SMME Village occupant who owes approximately R63 000 in unpaid rent, accumulated over several years.
The SMME Village is a municipal facility established to support local entrepreneurs and grow the local economy. Allowing an occupant to use the facility for years without paying undermines this purpose and denies other entrepreneurs a fair opportunity to benefit from this municipal resource.
The DA opposed the ANC’s attempt to delay the eviction and give the occupant yet another opportunity to pay, despite repeated warnings and ample time to settle the outstanding debt. The ANC’s ongoing use of its majority in Council, to protect politically connected individuals from complying with municipal obligations, is unacceptable.
This is not the first instance of the ANC using its Council majority to protect connected individuals. In relation to the Eiland Resort, a similar attempt was made to irregularly write-off more than R2 million debt owed to the municipality, while the individual concerned was protected.
The DA will not support a system where politically connected individuals receive preferential treatment while residents, businesses and other entrepreneurs are expected to meet their obligations. What is fair for one SMME must be fair for another.
Municipal assets must serve the community, grow the local economy and create opportunities for entrepreneurs who comply with the rules. Allowing occupants to use public facilities for years without paying deprives other businesses of opportunities, weakens municipal finances and undermines much needed job creation.
The DA will continue to oppose cadre protection, and insist that the municipality enforces the eviction, recovers the outstanding debt and makes the space available to an entrepreneur who will put it to good use and contribute to the local economy.