GOOD Speech by Rosa Louw,
GOOD Garden Route District Municipality Councillor
25 August 2026
Note to Editors: This speech was delivered during the Adjustment Budget 2026/2027 council meeting at the Garden Route Municipality
Honourable Speaker,
Executive Mayor and Councillors, as well as Officials.
Speaker,
I will be brief and to the point, because this item is about service delivery to our people.
Speaker, this report is before us in terms of Section 28(2) of the MFMA, Act 56 of 2003.
The law is clear. Council must approve an Adjustments Budget before we can legally spend any new money that came in after we approved the original budget in May.
Without this approval today, we cannot legally spend the R34.4 million and the R3.601 million. The money will remain in the bank, or worse, be returned.
There are two amounts, Speaker.
First: The R34.4 million.
This is new money. It comes from the Western Cape Department of Infrastructure – Roads Department.
It is a conditional grant for urgent roads and related services across the Garden Route District.
Speaker, the condition is strict: We MUST spend it as soon as possible in 2026. If we do not spend it, we lose it and it will be sent back to Treasury.
Speaker, our people know these roads. This R34.4 million will go towards pothole repairs, upgrades and emergency maintenance of roads in the Garden Route District.
Second: The R3.601 million.
This is old money being rolled over from 2025/2026.
It was not spent due to procurement delays.
It is earmarked money for Disaster Management, Fire Services and Municipal Health.
National Treasury only allows this rollover if we can prove the project will be completed this year.
So, in total, Speaker, we are talking about R38.001 million for service delivery.
Speaker, my responsibility as a Councillor of the GOOD Party is two-fold.
One- not to delay service delivery. I will not be the Councillor who blocks R34.4 million for roads because of politics. The people need the roads.
Two- to ensure accountability. Speaker, R38 million is public money. It is not Monopoly money. It belongs to the people.
So, I support this adjustments budget, but with a very clear warning to this DA-led administration:
- Prove that this is not just budget shuffling.
- Every rand must be spent for the purpose it was given.
- Tenders must be awarded fairly and transparently.
- The R34.4 million must be spent immediately.
- And we as Council must get monthly progress reports on where, how and to whom this money was spent. From George to Knysna to Bitou to Hessequa.
Speaker,
I concur with the recommendation that Council approves the appropriation of R34.4 million for urgent provincial roads infrastructure to be spent;
I support it, subject to monthly reporting, so that this money reaches the people and is not paid back to Treasury.
Because Speaker, the money belongs to the people. It must reach the people.
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