Action needed against municipalities
Finweek English|5 March 2020
South Africa’s rural areas are buckling – and some have already fallen over – as corrupt officials suck the life out of municipal service delivery. This needs to stop.
Jaco Visser
Action needed against municipalities

A text message from a family member moments before I started writing this column gave me a glimmer of hope that maybe the rot in our municipalities will begin to be addressed. Apparently the Hawks (the police’s Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation) is swooping down on the Kai !Garib municipality’s head office in Keimoes in the Northern Cape to make arrests for tender fraud. Earlier in February, the Hawks also arrested Buti Piet Molupi, the municipal manager of the Nala municipality (Bothaville) in the Free State for alleged irregularities surrounding the appointment of a security company, according to news reports.

These are welcome actions by the police as many citizens living under the burden of inefficient and self-serving municipal councils are suffering a lack of basic service delivery, including the supply of water, refuse removal and sanitation.

These police actions are also necessary to address the rot at the bottom. With the Zondo Commission of Inquiry probing the free-for-all graft that went unchecked for years during President Jacob Zuma’s administration, criminal action now needs to be taken at the lowest level of government too, namely the municipalities.

It stands to reason that graft at the level of municipalities disproportionately impacts South Africans. This is especially true for the poorest of the poor who cannot afford to partake in the parallel economy – where those with the means can buy from private companies those basic services denied to them by their local municipal councils.

Diese Geschichte stammt aus der 5 March 2020-Ausgabe von Finweek English.

Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.

Diese Geschichte stammt aus der 5 March 2020-Ausgabe von Finweek English.

Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.

WEITERE ARTIKEL AUS FINWEEK ENGLISHAlle anzeigen
THE HEALTH OF SA'S MEDICAL SCHEMES
Finweek English

THE HEALTH OF SA'S MEDICAL SCHEMES

As the Covid-19 pandemic abates, finweek takes a look at the financial performance of some of the largest players.

time-read
7 Minuten  |
5 November 2021
The effect of Gilbertson's departure
Finweek English

The effect of Gilbertson's departure

With Ntsimbintle Holdings now the major shareholder of Jupiter Mines, it could change SA’s manganese industry.

time-read
3 Minuten  |
5 November 2021
Making money from music
Finweek English

Making money from music

Why investors are increasingly drawn to the music industry.

time-read
3 Minuten  |
5 November 2021
Conviction is key
Finweek English

Conviction is key

Sandy Rheeder plays a critical role in Mukuru’s mission to open up financial services to the emerging consumer market in Africa through tailor-made technology solutions and platforms.

time-read
5 Minuten  |
5 November 2021
The post-pandemic toolkit
Finweek English

The post-pandemic toolkit

How CFOs can use technology to support growth.

time-read
4 Minuten  |
5 November 2021
Big city living exodus
Finweek English

Big city living exodus

Mini cities like Waterfall City and Steyn City are redefining city-style apartment living.

time-read
3 Minuten  |
5 November 2021
Big compact, big value
Finweek English

Big compact, big value

Handsome, with a hefty level of standard specification, the roomy Haval Jolion compact crossover is a great value proposition.

time-read
3 Minuten  |
5 November 2021
On barriers to entry
Finweek English

On barriers to entry

There are various ways in which a company or sector can achieve competitive dominance. They usually make for good investments.

time-read
2 Minuten  |
5 November 2021
Fear and greed in one index
Finweek English

Fear and greed in one index

To buck the trend, when markets are hot or cold, is a tough thing to do. However, it can deliver solid returns.

time-read
3 Minuten  |
5 November 2021
Africa's largest data centre facility coming soon
Finweek English

Africa's largest data centre facility coming soon

Vantage Data Centers plans to invest over R15bn for its first African data centre facility in Attacq’s Waterfall City.

time-read
3 Minuten  |
5 November 2021