GOOD Statement by Ricardo Van Der Merwe,
GOOD Saldanha Bay Municipality Councillor
27 January 2025
The GOOD Party is shocked to have learnt that the Saldanha Bay Municipality has only spent 20% of its current capex budget in the past 6 months.
The year-to-date capital expenditure as of December 2024 stands at R86 million out of a capital budget of R431 million. If we were to follow the initial budget projections, we should have spent at least R163 million, or 38%, by now.
This discrepancy raises critical questions about the municipality’s financial management and operational efficiency.
This under-expenditure directly impacts our community. Our capital budget encompasses 479 individual projects, aimed at enhancing the quality of life for our residents.
However, the shocking truth is that a staggering R416 million of this budget, earmarked for tenders that should have been concluded to initiate these projects, is now delayed.
Each passing day without action pushes back our aspirations and the improvements that our community deserves.
What is even more concerning is the lack of accountability for our management team.
Despite clear underperformance, these individuals continue to be rewarded as if they were meeting their objectives. It seems that performance agreements mean little when there is no real evaluation of outcomes.
As GOOD we are calling on transparency in how funds are allocated and spent, coupled with clear penalties for non-performance. The status quo is simply unacceptable.
Managers need to be held accountable not just for their promises, but for their actions and deliverables.
As we move forward, let us advocate for a culture of accountability, responsibility, and action.
We owe it to our community to ensure that the budgets approved translate into tangible improvements in their lives.
Media Enquiries:
Ricardo Van Der Merwe, GOOD Saldanha Bay Local Municipality Councillor
Cell: +27 79 907 3746
Email: Ricardo.vandermerwe@sbm.gov.za
Samantha Jackson, GOOD: Media Manager
Cell: 083 5509875
Email: samantha@forgood.org.za