At the last ordinary Council meeting of the John Taolo Gaetsewe District Municipality last week, the Democratic Alliance stood firm against rewarding senior managers with performance bonuses, proposed at up to 13%, while the municipality’s financial and audit performance continues to deteriorate.
The DA refused to accept any bonus, as performance did not justify it. Our firm stance on good governance was ultimately supported by other political parties in Council, ensuring that the proposed bonuses were rejected.
During the 2024/2025 financial year, the municipality’s audit outcome regressed. It also incurred R8.23 million in irregular expenditure, with findings relating to procurement and contract management, unauthorised, irregular and fruitless and wasteful expenditure, uncompetitive procurement, and inadequate contract management. The municipality further recorded a R5.06 million deficit, spending more than it generated, while more than 50% of the following year’s budget had already been spent in previous years.
With this record, bonuses are not the answer. Consequence management is.
Municipalities exist to deliver services and use public funds responsibly. When performance declines and financial controls fail, residents should not be expected to carry the cost while senior managers are rewarded.
The DA is unapologetic about demanding higher standards.
After the 2026 Local Government Elections, we want to return to Council with a stronger mandate from residents to tighten oversight even further and ensure that all municipal funds are spent in the best public interest.
It is time to stop rewarding failure and start getting municipalities working.