South Africa

As many of you regular readers know, a group in SA that is very high on my pet-hate list are the so-called "Municipal Managers" and their partners in legalised theft delivery, the local government "Councillors". For a while i've been trying to find some data about how these two groups' salaries can be compared to a) Municipal budgets and b) capital expenditure. The M&G has delivered, here are a few extracts (warning, do not read if have high blood pressure) -

 

"The salaries of municipal councillors and officials outstrip spending on services by nearly R10-billion - 10% of the total municipal budget....A particularly gross example is that of the Ntambanana municipality, in KwaZulu-Natal, where the council manager pockets R500 000 a year, while the council allocates 20c per citizen for the delivery of services - this compared with a national municipal average of R380 per person."

 

This is an obscenity of the highest order, do these people have absolutely no moral clarity or value system? What the hell can 20c buy, a black refuse bag?

 

"In Ezinqoleni local municipality, 34% of the total budget was allocated to salaries and 11% to capital expenditure - well below the national average for capital expenditure of 18% of total budget. In this municipality, 60% of households lack electricity. In Indaka local municipality, 40% of the total budget was allocated to salaries compared with 12% to capital expenditure. More than 60% of the population live below the poverty line of R1 100 a year.

 

In Ugu district municipality, 29% of the budget was allocated to salaries and 9% to delivery. Answering a question by Joanne Downs of the African Christian Democratic Party in the KwaZulu-Natal legislature, the provincial local government department revealed that, of 161 000 households in Ugu, - 155 000 do not have access to electricity and 79 000 do not have running water. The municipal manager, KE Mpungose, earns R714 000 a year."

 

Do these jokers think they are on "The Apprentice", controlling a vast corporate empire which needs the deft touch of a big-business master? I think so, the reality is a bit different - "Umm John I want you and your crew to go cut the grass verges on Acorn Street this week". Are you from another friggin planet Statement of the year came from Linda Dlamini, Salga’s (SA Local Government Association) executive director for labour relations who said:

 

“Some of the criticism that has been levelled against local government is unjustified. But we will come up with a framework for payments [within the next few months].”

 

Instead of offering us your spin Linda, why don't you go out and try deliver service on 20c a year. Then we can talk about "unjustified" criticism.

 

Selfish. Idiots.