14 Desember 2012
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Municipalities say
No thanks to grants from Government
Three municipalities in the Mopani area stand to lose R122,862 million in grants that the central government provided for infrastructure expenditure (called MIG). The total municipal infrastructure grants “donated” to the three municipalities by central government for the 2011/2012 financial year amounted to R339,881. The Mopani District Municipality(MDM) could lose R93,848 million, the Greater Tzaneen Municipality(GTM) might have to wave goodbye to R18,283 and the Greater Giyani Municipality (GGM) may have to go without a handsome R10,731 million. The only hope for these municipalities of retaining the money is to be found in the possibility that the national treasury could decide to allow the municipalities to roll over the money. The local municipalities have, however, not applied for a roll over. Fourteen municipalities in Limpopo under spent MIG funds and only seven’s requests for a roll over of the unspent funding have been approved. The DA caucus leader in the Limpopo Legislature, Ms Desiree van der Walt, requested the information regarding the MIG funds from the MEC for Co-operative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs. In his reply to Van der Walt he said “a lack of forward planning is one of the main contributors to under spending”. In the case of the GTM the problems with the Sasekani Road and the construction of a tar road from Ramotshinyadi to Mokgwathi have caused the GTM to under spend. (The Sasekani road is of course one of the projects where a dispute about the tender developed, the other one being Claude Wheatley Street. These two projects will in the end cost the GTM a couple of million rands in
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legal costs). The MEC also admitted to the following “challenges” that have caused the problems: • The high vacancy rate of senior managers, especially chief financial officers and technical managers; • Limited skills in financial management; • Delays in the filling of vacant critical section 56 (senior) manager positions. The MEC added that his department is now assisting municipalities in the appointment of senior managers. Meanwhile service delivery in the area is in a critical condition. — Francois Aucamp francois@bulletin.us.com
Bulletin will go on sale next week on Thursday for the last time in 2012. Get next week’s edition for the Xmas messages from community leaders. See page 14 for important information re our schedule for next week.
Top Cops An ex-Tzaneen policeman and one who arrived here recently, as well as one from Haenertsburg have been awarded as the best in their categories in Limpopo.
Rural areas: FREE • Platteland: GRATIS
Fear lessl y the tr uth
BINNE • INSIDE • Foodlovers word 1 jaar oud • Tzaneendam kry ‘n vlot • Tzaneen se berugte naakloper vasgetrek, vrygelaat • Philanthropist David Loam, known for his very open hand, is no longer with us • ‘Promote them to the sanitation department’ — our readers speak on page 6 • Give that man a Bells! See p 3
Best performers
* Brig Thomas Shingange who was transferred from Tzaneen to Polokwane a couple of months ago, has been named Best Performing Station Commander in the province. * Col James Espach who was recently transferred from Giyani to Tzaneen as commander of the CID, has been named Beste Performing Detective Commander. * Lt Col W Nkosi from Haenertsburg has been named Best Performing Female of the Year. The prestige awards ceremony was attended by the provincial commissioner of Limpopo, Lt Genl Simon Mpembe, and the national commissioner of the SAPS, Genl Ria Phiyega.
Kindertjies van die SA Vrouefederasie in Tzaneen se bewaarskool het ‘n gesellige en opwindende Kerspartytjie gehou, en Kersvader het persoonlik kom inloer. Hier is hy saam met van die opgewonde kinders.