The National Council of Provinces (NCOP) Eastern Cape (EC) delegation leader, Mr Mandla Rayi, says accountability in the province should be non-negotiable if delivery of services is to reach the poorest of the poor.
“The delegation acknowledges the challenges raised, but accountability should be the prime concern at municipalities. Without accountability at the rural municipalities, the province will continue to lose money to corruption. Officials and provincial leaders should know that there will be consequences if they transgress,” Mr Rayi said.
“Parliament appropriates money with the intention of improving the lives of the people, but somehow people are reckless when handling government money. There must be consequences for lack of accountability,” he said.
The NCOP delegation received briefings from the Premier’s office, the South African Local Government Association, the provincial Auditor-General and the MEC of Local Government, Mr Fikile Xasa.
The provincial Auditor-General representative, Mr Sithembele Peters, told the delegation that the lack of accountability and transparency, the lack of IT systems and the poor monitoring of consultants hampered delivery of services in the province. He said district municipalities were ignored and did not accomplish what they were set up to achieve.
Mr Rayi said the time was right for meaningful change in the province and that a strategy was needed to collect the money owed to municipalities.
The NCOP EC delegation is on an oversight trip to the province as part of the NCOP’s Provincial Week programme.
For media enquiries or interviews with the Mr Rayi, please contact:
Sibongile Maputi
Tel: 021 403 8041
Cell: 081 052 6060
E-mail: smaputi@parliament.gov.za
